The first ever Bangladesh-Thailand Foreign Office Consultation convened yesterday in Dhaka, which, among other issues, discussed illegal trafficking of people from Bangladesh and Myanmar and global collaboration to resolve the crisis.
Bangladesh reassured at the two-day FOC that all verified Bangladeshis among the boat people on the Southeast Asia shores would be repatriated to Bangladesh as soon as possible to enable them to celebrate the holy Eid-ul-Fitr next month with their families, a senior Bangladesh official said.
The Foreign Secretaries of Bangladesh and Thailand led their respective sides at the FOC on Wednesday.
A nine-member Thai delegation headed by Thai Permanent Secretary (Foreign Secretary) for Foreign Affairs Norachit Sinhaseni arrived Dhaka on Wednesday to participate in the FOC meeting at Padma State Guest House in Dhaka.
The Thai team includes Director General and other senior officials of Department of South Asian, Middle East and African affairs and Director of Thailand International Cooperation Agency (TICA).
The foreign ministry said bilateral trade, investments, technical cooperation, road, air and seaports connectivity, employment of Bangladeshi workers in Thailand will also be discussed.
Bangladesh and Thailand signed an MOU on the Establishment of Bilateral Consultations between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh and Thailand in 2012 during the visit of former Prime Minister of Thailand Yingluck Shinawatra.
Also in the agenda was introduction of Buddhist circuit tourism between Bangladesh and Thailand, cooperation in defence, culture and sports and collaboration in regional forums including BIMSTEC, ARF and ASEM.
The Thai delegation will leave Dhaka on Thursday night.