Bangladesh–Belgium relations

Bangladesh-Belgium relations
Map indicating locations of Bangladesh and Belgium

Bangladesh
Belgium

Bangladesh–Belgium relations refers to bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Belgium. Bangladesh has a resident ambassador in Brussels who is also the ambassador of Bangladesh to Luxembourg.[1][2] Belgium has a non resident ambassador in New Delhi.

History

The first ambassador of Bangladesh to Belgium, Sanaul Huq, was appointed on 15 May 1973 and served until 30 December 1976.[3] In 1975, Sheikh Hasina and Sheikh Rehana, daughters of President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, were in Belgium when their father was assassinated.[4] Their host, Ambassador Huq, decided against hosting them following the assassination.[4] Ambassador of Bangladesh to Germany Humayun Rashid Chowdhury provided them shelter in Germany.[5]

In November 2010, Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina visited the residence of Prime Minister of Belgium Yves Leterme and sought more investment from Belgian companies.[6] Golam Faruk Ahmed is the honorary consul of Belgium in Bangladesh.[7]

The Embassy of Bangladesh organized a Sufi musical night at the Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels on 29 October 2014.[8]

The foreign ministers of the two countries met in Brussels and discussed the Rohingya refugee crisis on 3 March 2018.[9]

In 2020, King Philippe of Belgium has expressed interest in visiting Bangladesh.[10]

Economic relations

In 2019, Belgium sent a trade delegation to Bangladesh.[11] Osama Taseer, president of the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry, met Francois Delhaye, Belgian ambassador to Bangladesh, and requested more investments from Belgian companies.[12]

Belgian ship breaking companies are working with Bangladesh ship breaking companies to improve labor conditions.[13] In December 2020, Belgian company Jan De Nul signed an agreement with Payra Port Authority to dredge Rabnabad channel to ease access to Payra Port in Bangladesh.[14]

In 2020, Bangladesh was Belgium's 88th largest export destination and 43rd largest importer.[15]

Diplomatic missions

In 1990, Belgium closed its embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh.[16] Its embassy in New Delhi, India, is accredited to Bangladesh. Per arrangements between Sweden and Belgium, the Swedish Embassy in Dhaka issues Schengen visas for residents of Bangladesh travelling to Belgium.[17]

Md. Shahdat Hossain was appointed the ambassador of Bangladesh to Belgium in 2016.[18]

On 30 June 2020, Mahbub Hassan Saleh was appointed the ambassador of Bangladesh to Belgium.[19][20]

References

  1. ^ "Location". www.bangladesh-embassy.be. Archived from the original on 2021-12-19. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  2. ^ "Former Pakistani diplomat calls for official apology to Bangladesh for 1971 genocide". The Daily Star. 2021-03-30. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  3. ^ "Former ambassadors". www.bangladesh-embassy.be. Archived from the original on 2018-08-12. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  4. ^ a b "A brief history of Bangladesh through her eyes -- 'Hasina: A Daughter's Tale' moves Kolkata audience". The Daily Star. 2021-02-06. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  5. ^ Chowdhury, Nauman Rasheed (2014-08-15). "August 15: Bangabandhu's daughters". The Daily Star. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  6. ^ "PM seeks more investment from Belgium". The Daily Star. 2010-11-27. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  7. ^ "New chief for Peoples Insurance". The Daily Star. 2011-08-21. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  8. ^ "'Sufi Night' in Belgium". The Daily Star. 2014-10-29. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  9. ^ "Belgian Deputy PM concerned over violation of rights of the Rohingya community". Dhaka Tribune. 2018-03-03. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  10. ^ "King Philippe of Belgium keen to visit Bangladesh". UNB. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  11. ^ "Belgium sending a trade mission to Bangladesh". bdnews24.com. 14 March 2019. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  12. ^ "DCCI urges Belgian investors to invest in Bangladesh". Dhaka Tribune. 2019-03-13. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  13. ^ "Watch | How Shipyards in Bangladesh and Belgium Are Ensuring Hazard-Free Working Conditions". The Wire. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  14. ^ "Belgian firm to do maintenance dredging of Rabnabad channel". The Daily Star. 2020-12-18. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  15. ^ "Bangladesh". Belgian Foreign Trade Agency. 2018-01-03. Archived from the original on 2021-07-28. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  16. ^ "Belgium keen on expanding economic ties with Bangladesh". The Independent. Dhaka. Archived from the original on 2021-07-28. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  17. ^ "Visa for Belgium if you live in Bangladesh". Belgium in India. 2015-08-03. Archived from the original on 2021-07-28. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  18. ^ "Shahdat Hossain new ambassador to Belgium". banglanews24.com (in Bengali). 2016-04-18. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  19. ^ "Mahbub Saleh new Bangladesh Ambassador to Belgium". Dhaka Tribune. 2020-06-30. Retrieved 2021-07-28.
  20. ^ "King Philippe of Belgium keen to visit Bangladesh". Dhaka Tribune. 2021-01-15. Retrieved 2021-07-28.