DHAKA, July 4, 2024 (BSS) - Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma and European Union (EU) outgoing Ambassador to Bangladesh Charles Whiteley today called on Prime Minister's Principal Secretary M. Tofazzel Hossain Miah at Prime Minister's Office (PMO) here.

Indian envoy expressed special thanks to Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on behalf of his government for her bilateral visit to India on June 21-22.

The principal secretary and the Indian high commissioner agreed on working together for the timely implementation of the memorandum of understanding (MoUs), other declarations and initiatives signed during the Bangladesh Prime Minister's visit to India.

Both of them laid special emphasis on smooth and timely implementation of the projects under India's Line of Credit.

During the farewell call, the EU ambassador extended thanks to the Bangladesh government and Prime Minister's Principal Secretary for extending all-out cooperation to him during his tenure in Bangladesh.

Charles Whiteley assured that the EU will work closely with the Bangladesh government on food security, nutrition, climate change and other issues.

Tofazzel Hossain Miah put special importance to the active participation of the European Investment Bank in the ongoing development spree of Bangladesh.

They also discussed working with Palli Karma-Sahayak Foundation (PKSF) on different areas including food security and women empowerment. 

When the outgoing ambassador asked about the preparations for Bangladesh's graduation from the list of least developed countries (LDCs) in 2026, the principal secretary said the process of formulation of the Smooth Transition Strategy (STS) by the Bangladesh government is already in its final stage and the high-level national committee is working on the implementation of this strategy.

Tofazzel Hossain Miah said that the Bangladesh government is constantly maintaining communication with the United Nations Committee for Development Policy (UNCDP) and other United Nations organizations to make Bangladesh's transition from a LDC smooth and sustainable.