Michael Miller, the EU’s new ambassador to Bangladesh, conveyed readiness of the 27-member bloc to support the interim government’s reform agenda, while paying an introductory courtesy call on Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain at the latter’s office Tuesday.

Noting that the recent student-led mass uprising is an unprecedented opportunity for Bangladesh to change, the ambassador offered all-out cooperation of the EU on issues including human rights, good governance, and the overall democratic process.

He mentioned that the EU wants to diversify trade relations with Bangladesh with more investment, and also support Bangladesh after its LDC graduation. The foreign adviser welcomed EU’s offer of assistance and assured him of creating a better business environment for strengthening Bangladesh-EU trade and investment relations.

Terming the relations between Bangladesh and the EU as vibrant and important, the adviser requested for EU’s assistance in health and education sectors with particular emphasis on improving technical and vocational training institutes.

He underlined the need for assistance in recovering stolen assets deposited abroad by some Bangladeshi nationals. The EU Ambassador offered technical assistance in this regard.

The EU ambassador informed about EIB’s ongoing investment of 900 million euro in the rail, energy, water and health sectors of Bangladesh and expressed EIB’s readiness to enhance EIB’s investment portfolio in Bangladesh.

The adviser and the EU Ambassador appreciated the upcoming discussion on Partnership and Cooperation Agreement towards elevating the Bangladesh-EU relations to a new height.  

The ambassador reaffirmed continued assistance of the EU for the Rohingyas sheltering in Bangladesh and the host community in Cox’s Bazar. The foreign adviser and the EU ambassador noted that the return of Rohingyas to their homeland in Myanmar with rights and safety assurances is the only sustainable solution to the protracted crisis.