Presentation of the Letters of Credence to the Most Hon’ble Governor-General of the Bahamas by High Commissioner Dr. Khalilur Rahman
19 May 2023, Nassau: H.E. Dr. Khalilur Rahman, Bangladesh High Commissioner in Canada presented his credentials as non-resident High Commissioner in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas to H.E. Sir Cornelius Alvin Smith ON GCMG, the Most Hon’ble Governor General of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas at the Office of the Governor General in Nassau on 18 May 2023. Following the presentation of the letters of credence, a long Tête-à-tête meeting was held with the Governor General over the entire gamut of bilateral relations in the presence of the Secretary to the Governor General and the Permanent Secretary and the Director-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Bahamas.
The Governor General praised the national development plan, including Vision 2041, crafted by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government and showed intent to work together in the areas of shared concerns, including the challenges of climate change. Governor General also highlighted the robust history of Bangladesh and The Bahamas in supporting each other in the multilateral platform, including in the UN Human Rights Council. Lauding the tremendous strides made by Bangladesh in women empowerment and gender equity, Governor General said that The Bahamas eagerly looks forward to receiving a delegation from Bangladesh in Nassau when they will host Commonwealth Women Ministerial Meeting in August 2023. He also invited the High Commissioner to the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Independence of The Bahamas on 10 July 2023. Responding to the Governor General’s remarks, the High Commissioner said that he has been appointed as the first-ever High Commissioner of Bangladesh in The Bahamas due to the firm intent of Bangladesh’s government to strengthen and expand bilateral relations between the two countries. He also highlighted the immense potential for collaboration in the areas of shipbuilding, financial services and tourism, which can mutually benefit both countries.
After the presentation of the letters of credence, the High Commissioner met the Hon’ble Prime Minister H.E. Philip Edward Davis KC MP and the Hon’ble Deputy Prime Minister H.E. Chester Cooper to discuss prospective issues of mutual interests.
The Hon’ble Prime Minister of The Bahamas lauded the exceptional leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the global discourse on climate change. Recognizing Bangladesh’s proactive stance and effective measures in combating climate change, the Prime Minister of The Bahamas conveyed a sincere desire to work alongside Bangladesh in developing innovative solutions and sharing best practices. The High Commissioner proposed that climate-vulnerable countries like Bangladesh and The Bahamas should work together along with other climate-vulnerable countries under the framework of the Commonwealth to address Climate Change in addition to the existing UNFCCC process. Both sides also agreed to work together with other climate vulnerable countries for the disbursement of the committed climate finance by developed nations in line with the Paris Agreement as well as to operationalize the ‘loss and damage’ fund announced during COP-27 in Sharm-El-Sheikh. The High Commissioner also requested the Hon’ble Prime Minister to support Bangladesh in the international forum, including in the UN, for safe, dignified and sustainable repatriation of the 1.3 million forcibly displaced Myanmar Nationals currently hosted by Bangladesh to their homeland in Myanmar. The High Commissioner also handed over a draft Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Foreign Offices of the two countries to explore and identify areas of mutual cooperation, as well as to promote trade and financial collaboration. The Prime Minister immediately instructed officials to finalize the draft MoU. High Commissioner also sought support for Bangladesh’s candidature for the position of Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) at the IMO Council Election in London in July 2023. In response, the Prime Minister assured him of serious consideration for supporting Bangladesh’s candidature. It may be mentioned that the Hon’ble Prime Minister of The Bahamas is also in charge of the Ministry of Finance.
Hon’ble Deputy Prime Minister said that it is important to increase the mobility of people between Bangladesh and The Bahamas to further the bilateral relations. Recognizing the immense potential for cooperation, the two sides agreed to actively pursue an Air Services Agreement that includes code-sharing arrangements between Bangladesh Biman Airlines and Bahamas Air for the Nassau-Toronto-Dhaka route. They also agreed to work together in the ship building, manufacturing and tourism sector. It is noteworthy to mention that Hon’ble Deputy Prime Minister of The Bahamas is also in charge of the Tourism, Investment and Aviation Ministries.
During his visit, the High Commissioner also had a productive meeting with senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Bahamas. The discussion encompassed a wide range of bilateral issues of mutual interest, including the finalization of the proposed MoU which will lay the foundation of the wide-ranging collaboration between the two countries.
Additionally, the High Commissioner met with the President of The Bahamas Chamber of Commerce and Employers’ Confederation (BCCEC) to discuss establishing business relations between Bangladesh and The Bahamas and the collaboration between FBCCI and BCCEC. The meeting focused on potential Bahamian investments in Bangladesh’s financial, hospitality, and manufacturing sectors, as well as the export of Readymade Garments (RMG), leather products, and jute fibers from Bangladesh to The Bahamas. It was agreed to arrange consultations between the chambers to draft an MoU that would facilitate future collaboration.
The High Commissioner also engaged with several importers of ready-made garments (RMG), leather products, and other goods and discovered a notable interest among importers to directly source from Bangladesh. Recognizing this opportunity, the High Commissioner pledged to connect these importers with key industry associations in Bangladesh, including the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Leather goods and Footwear Manufacturers & Exporters Association of Bangladesh (LFMEAB), and Bangladesh Jute Goods Exporter Association (BJGEA). In a promising development, one importer expressed willingness to visit Bangladesh to explore potential collaborations with local manufacturers. The High Commissioner assured full support in facilitating such visits.
