Chief Adviser of the Interim Government of Bangladesh Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus and President Jose Ramos-Horta of Timor-Leste, the two Nobel Peace Laureates, have emphasised the importance of global peace and stability and urged the international community to take action towards resolving ongoing conflicts in various regions.
President Jose Ramos-Horta is visiting Dhaka on an official visit to Bangladesh at the invitation of Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus. The Chief Adviser and President Jose Ramos-Horta held a one-to-one meeting, followed by a bilateral delegation-level discussion at the Chief Adviser's Office on Sunday.
A 15-member delegation, including the Foreign Minister, Principal Adviser, Chief of State Protocol, and senior officials from Timor-Leste, are accompanying President Horta. He was given a state salute and guard of honour by a smartly turned out contingent of Bangladesh Armed Forces.
He inspected the guard of honour, while the national anthems of the two countries were played.
Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus warmly welcomed President Ramos-Horta at the airport yesterday evening, where he received a red-carpet reception and a ceremonial guard of honour.
President Ramos-Horta is scheduled to attend Bangladesh's 54th Victory Day celebrations on Monday and will also deliver a keynote address on "The Challenges of Peace in the Contemporary World" at a Dhaka think tank.
During his maiden visit, both leaders engaged in talks covering a wide range of issues concerning Bangladesh-Timor-Leste relations, including bilateral, regional and international matters of mutual interest, however, they witnessed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Establishment of a Bilateral Consultation Mechanism (BCM) and an agreement on the exemption of visa requirements for diplomatic and official passport holders were signed following the delegation-level talks at the Chief Adviser Office.
After the MoU signing ceremony, both leaders addressed the press, and discussed the outcomes of their meetings and the potential for further strengthening bilateral relations.
The Chief Adviser briefed President Ramos-Horta on the July-August Revolution and the ongoing reforms being undertaken by the interim government toward a democratic and just Bangladesh.
The two leaders underscored the need to enhance trade and economic relations, recognising the potential for growth in bilateral trade.
They also discussed collaborating on microcredit and social business initiatives.
Both the leaders acknowledged the importance of finalising an air services agreement between the two friendly countries.
They also recognised the significance of cooperation in sectors such as SMEs, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, education, capacity building, manpower, ICT, and disaster management.
The Chief Adviser urged President Ramos-Horta to consider granting permanent residency to expatriate Bangladeshis residing in Timor-Leste for extended periods, to ease the challenges of visa renewal.
The Timorese side assured its support for Bangladesh's bid to become a Sectoral Dialogue Partner of ASEAN, following its full membership.
The visit holds historical significance, as it marks the first-ever official visit by a head of state from Timor-Leste, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Official engagements began on Sunday morning with a welcome call on the President by Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain.
Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain on Sunday met President of Timor-Leste Jose Ramos-Horta and discussed issues of mutual interest.
The meeting, held at a city hotel, discussed ways to deepen the relations between the two countries.
While welcoming the President of Timor-Leste on his first official visit to Bangladesh, Foreign Adviser Touhid discussed issues of mutual interest with the visiting President, a senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
During his stay in Dhaka, the President will engage in a series of high-level meetings and events aimed at strengthening bilateral ties between the two nations.
In the afternoon (Sunday), Ramos-Horta met honorary consul of Timor-Leste in Bangladesh, Kutubuddin Ahmed, and Bangladesh Football Federation President and BNP leader, Tabith Awal.
On December 16, Ramos-Horta will call on the President of Bangladesh at Bangabhaban. He will also visit the National Martyrs' Memorial in Savar to pay homage to the heroes of Bangladesh's Liberation War.
