President urges Vietnam to simplify visa procedures for Bangladeshis

President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Thursday urged Vietnam to simplify visa procedures for Bangladeshi businesspeople, workers, students and tourists to facilitate greater people-to-people contact and cooperation between the two countries.

He made the call when Vietnamese Ambassador to Bangladesh Nguyen Manh Cuong paid a farewell courtesy call on him at Bangabhaban.

President Fakhrul said Bangladesh attaches great importance to its longstanding friendship with Vietnam, which dates back more than five decades.

He said simplifying visa procedures would help expand people-to-people contacts and create greater opportunities for cooperation and partnerships among businesses and investors of the two countries, contributing to stronger bilateral relations and helping both sides realise their development potential.

The Vietnamese ambassador stressed the importance of establishing direct air connectivity between the two capitals, implementing a preferential trade agreement and exchanging high-level visits.

He also conveyed an invitation from the President of Vietnam to President Fakhrul to visit the country. The President thanked him for the invitation.

Recalling his visit to Vietnam in 2003 as part of the entourage of then prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia, Fakhrul recalled the warm hospitality extended to him and expressed hope that the historical friendship between the peoples of the two countries would continue to strengthen bilateral ties.

The President also called for greater opportunities to increase Bangladesh’s exports to Vietnam to make bilateral trade more balanced and mutually beneficial.

He urged Vietnam to increase imports of Bangladeshi pharmaceutical products, leather and leather goods, ceramics, bicycles, jute and jute products, among other exportable items.

During the meeting, Nguyen Manh Cuong congratulated Fakhrul on assuming office.

Thanking the outgoing ambassador for his successful tenure and contributions to strengthening Bangladesh-Vietnam relations, the President expressed hope that Cuong would continue to promote friendship and cooperation between the two countries after returning to Vietnam.

Fakhrul wished the ambassador good health and wellbeing and conveyed his wishes for continued peace, progress and prosperity for the people of Vietnam.

Secretaries to the President’s Office and senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Vietnamese Embassy were present at the meeting.