Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Russian President Vladimir Putin have expressed optimism that the socioeconomic relations between the two countries would grow further in future.
The two leaders talked about bilateral relations during a gala dinner hosted by Italian President Giorgio Nepolitano at Sala Delle Cariatidi in Milan, Italy on Thursday evening (local time).
Leaders of the ASEM member countries joined the dinner, according to a message received in Dhaka.
Hasina and Putin hoped that the member states of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) will put emphasis on working together for the development of the two regions of the globe.
Rupanti, daughter of the PM’s younger sister Sheikh Rehana, was present, among others.
BD COMMITTED TO LOW
CARBON: PM
Reaffirming her pledge to low-carbon emission and climate-resilient development path, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday urged the large carbon-emitting countries to reciprocate by robust voluntary commitments from countries like Bangladesh.
“Bangladesh will never exceed the average per capita carbon emission of the developing world,” she said while making a statement at the intervention of the Retreat Session of the 10th ASEM Summit meeting at Milan Congress in Italy.
She also expressed Bangladesh’s concern over the huge gap between the commitments of the developed world and their initiatives to fulfil the commitments, said a message received in Dhaka.
Referring to the Rio+20, she said countries had agreed on a shared dream to have the “Future we want for all”.
Despite being a climate-vulnerable LDC, Bangladesh was forced to divert country’s development budget for adaptation and mitigation of climate change, she added. “Yet, climate change continues affecting the lives and livelihoods of millions of our people.”
Adaptation is crucial for sustainable development but critical balance between adaptation and mitigation will have to be maintained, she observed.
Bangladesh, said the PM, has learned much on adaptation front and is ready to share its modest experience on climate-resilience.
Describing various measures taken on the climate change, Hasina said her government has been implementing Bangladesh Climate Change Strategy and Action Plan.
MEETING WITH DUTCH PM
Prime Minister of the Netherlands Mark Rutte has assured his Bangladesh counterpart of participating in more development projects of Bangladesh, including building a deep sea port at Sonadia.
The Dutch premier gave the assurance during a meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on the sidelines of the ASEM Summit at the Milan Congress in Italy on Thursday evening (local time).
Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque briefed reporters after the meeting. The PM’s Deputy Press Secretary Bijan Lal Dev was present, according to a message received in Dhaka.
The Dutch leader described Bangladesh’s innovation in agricultural research and development as well as experience in addressing climate change and flood as unique.
The Netherlands, said Mark Rutte, wants to follow innovative and greener way of addressing floods without constructing embankments.
Hasina said her government has been implementing pro-people and job- and education-oriented development programmes.
Source: The Daily Star
