Orbán meets Bangladesh’s prime minister – UPDATE

Budapest, November 29 (MTI) – The economic achievements of Bangladesh “deserve attention even in Europe”, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said after talks with his Bangladeshi counterpart in Budapest on Tuesday.

Bangladesh is proof that a country can improve living conditions for its people “even if all natural forces and inherited poverty seem to impede the way to success,” Orbán said at a press conference held together with Sheikh Hasina. He argued that Bangladesh’s economic growth has been over 6 percent, and the country has reduced poverty by half in the past 15-20 years.

Among areas of potential cooperation with Bangladesh, Orbán mentioned water management, farming, and the digital economy.

Bangladesh, like Hungary, rejects all forms of terrorism, Orbán said. He also noted his shared view with the Bangladeshi prime minister that terrorism is not tied to any specific religion, ethnicity, or civilisation.

“Terrorism is unacceptable in all its manifestations, irrespective of its ideological basis,” Orbán said.

The Bangladeshi prime minister said that cooperation between Hungary and her country was effective despite the large distance between them. She said trade and investments offered good opportunities for further cooperation. She added that her country would welcome expertise in water management.

Sheikh Hasina praised Hungary for its economic and political achievements in the past 25 years. Hungary has successfully transformed its economy and has become a trade and production centre for central Europe, she said. She also noted that Hungary was one of the first countries to recognise Bangladesh as an independent country back in the 1970s.

The two prime ministers met on the sidelines of the World Water Summit currently under way in Budapest.

UPDATE

Hungary supports cooperation with Bangladeshi firms

Hungary is using new tools to support cooperation between Hungarian and Bangladeshi companies, Prime Minister Viktor Orban told a Hungary-Bangladesh business forum in Budapest on Tuesday.

Eximbank will open a 90 million dollar credit line for the purpose and the Hungarian government offer 100 scholarships to Bangladeshi students, Orbán said.

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wazed underlined Bangladesh’s goal to establish a knowledge-based economy. The country has developed a lot in recent years and offers good opportunities to Hungarian companies in several sectors, she added.

Source: MTI