Hungary visit opens up new horizon of potentialities: PM

Describing her recent Hungary tour as very fruitful and successful, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said it has opened up a new horizon of potentialities to elevate the bilateral relations to a new height.

Addressing a crowded press conference at Ganabhaban here yesterday afternoon, the premier said the bilateral ties between Bangladesh and Hungary witnessed a setback after the assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 1975.

"But I think my recent visit to Hungary has infused a new dynamism into the bilateral ties and opened up a new horizon of potentialities to elevate this relations to a new height," she said.

The press conference was arranged to brief the media about the outcomes of her visit to Hungary and Morocco.

Sheikh Hasina paid the four-day bilateral visit to Hungary from Nov 27-30 in conjunction with Budapest Water Summit 2016 at the invitation of Hungarian President Dr Janos Ader.

Earlier on November 14-16, the Bangladesh premier visited Morocco to join the High-Level Segment of the Conference of the Parties (COP22) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC).

The prime minister said she addressed the opening session of the Water Summit-2016 in the Hungarian capital of Budapest, where she sought comprehensive global efforts for water management, urging world leaders to prioritize the water issues in their policies and actions. 

"I also placed a seven-point agenda that included formation of a global fund on water to support research, innovation, technology transfer to realize the water related goals and targets," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said she also held a meeting with the Hungarian president at Sandor Palace. "We discussed climate change related issues like negative impact due to global warming on Bangladesh and climate refugees", she added.

Besides, she said, the issues like technological excellence and exchange of bilateral cooperation to check river pollution came up for discussion.

The prime minister said she thanked the Hungarian government and people for hosting the Budapest Water Summit 2016 and invited Janos Ader to visit Bangladesh at his convenience.

Sheikh Hasina said on the second day of her visit to Hungary, she placed wreaths at the Heroes Square in Budapest to pay homage to those who made special contributions to upholding independence and state unity of Hungary.

The prime minister said she held the bilateral official talks with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban at the historic Parliament Complex. "Earlier, we held a tete-e-tete at the same place," she said.

The premier said they discussed issues related to water resource management, trade and business, agriculture, education as well as regional and international matters.

She said the Hungarian prime minister at the meeting announced to provide 100 scholarships to Bangladeshi students on various subjects including medical science and engineering.

"We also agreed to work on new areas including water resource management and agriculture apart from expansion of trade and investment," she said.

Sheikh Hasina said the Hungarian premier accepted her invitation to visit Bangladesh, saying that the tour will take place at a convenient time.

"The two countries signed three memorandums of understanding (MoUs) in the presence of me and the Hungarian premier," she said.

Those are the MoU between the foreign ministries of Hungary and Bangladesh; MoU on cooperation in the field of water management between the two governments; and MoU on cooperation in the field of agriculture between the two countries. 

Sheikh Hasina said they later addressed before the media.

She said the two prime ministers joined the concluding function of Bangladesh Hungary Business Forum organized by FBCCI and Hungary Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

In his speech at the function, the Hungarian prime minister highly praised economic development activities that took place in Bangladesh during the present government. 

Sheikh Hasina mentioned that Viktor Orban called upon the Hungarian businessmen to join ongoing development activities in Bangladesh.

The Bangladesh premier said in her address she highlighted the trade and investment potentialities of Bangladesh that exists in geoeconomical strategic position and urged the Hungarian businessmen to utilize existing facilities for trade and investment.

Later, the two chamber bodies inked a MoU in our presence.

While talking about the High-Level Segment of the Conference of the Parties (COP22) of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) in Marrakech in Morocco, Sheikh Hasina said she reiterated Bangladesh's firm stance and determination to combat climate change.

"I also apprised the global leaders of my government's various steps on reduction of global warming and adaptation to mitigate the losses caused due to climate change," she said.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, Environment and Forests Minister Anwar Hossain Manju, Water Resources Minister Barrister Anisul Islam Mahmud and PM's Media Advisor Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury were present on the dais with the prime minister, while PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim moderated it.

Source: BSS