PM Hasina lauds Norway for support towards Palestinian people

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday highly appreciated the Norwegian support and sympathy towards the Palestinian people.

She expressed her appreciation while the outgoing ambassador of Norway Espen Rikter-Svendsen called on her at her office, PM's Press Secretary M Nayeemul Islam Khan told reporters after the meeting.  

The Norwegian ambassador said that his country is historically sympathetic towards the Palestinian people.

"For a long time Norway has presided the donor community on the Palestine," he said.

Regarding the recent Palestinian issue and inhumane atrocities in the Palestine by the Israeli forces the ambassador said: "My heart is bleeding," according to the press secretary.

The envoy requested the prime Minister to open Bangladesh embassy in Norway. To this, the prime minister said that Bangladesh will definitely establish an embassy there at a reasonable time.

The envoy was quoted as saying that he is satisfied with the highest court's verdict on the quota issue and subsequent the gazette notification on this. 

According to the press secretary, the ambassador hailed the government's decision to try the perpetrators of recent violence through a neutral investigation.

Rikter-Svendsen mentioned that he came to Bangladesh as the ambassador during Covid-19 pandemic.

He said that he was impressed to see the success of Covid-19 pandemic management of Bangladesh at that time.

Talking about the shipbreaking industry of Bangladesh, the Norwegian envoy said that once it was dangerous, but now it is gradually developing as a world class industry.

"If Bangladesh, being the number one country in shipbreaking industry, advances systematically considering the environment issues, then the country's position will be strengthened further in the sector," he said.

PM's Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman Fazlur Rahman and Ambassador-at-Large M Ziauddin were present during the meeting.