DHAKA, March 20, 2021 (BSS) – Dhaka and Colombo today signed six
Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) to enhance cooperation between the two
countries in different areas.
These are – MoU on cooperation for strengthening youth development between
Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, MoU between Bangladesh Agricultural Research
Council (BARC) and Sri Lanka Council for Agricultural Research Policy
(SLCARP) and MoU between Directorate of Technical Education of Bangladesh and
Tertiary and Vocational Education Commission (TVEC) of Sri Lanka on Exchange
of Documentation on Vocational Qualifications.
Besides, MoU on Cooperation for Training of Bangladesh Nurses and Health
Care Workers in Sri Lanka, MoU on cooperation between Bangladesh Institute of
International and Strategic Studies and Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of
International Relations and Strategic Studies, and MoU on Cultural Programmes
between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka for years 2021-2025 were also signed.
Among the six, MoU on cooperation for strengthening youth development
between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka was signed by State Minister for Youth and
Sports Md Zahid Ahsan Russel and Sri Lankan State Minister of Rural Housing
and Construction and Building Material Industries Ministry Indika Anuruddha.
MoU between BARC and SLCARP was signed by Bangladesh Agriculture Minister
Dr Muhammad Abdur Razzaque and State Minister of Batik, Handloom Fabric and
Local Apparel Products Ministry of Sri Lanka Dayasiri Jayasekera.
MoU between Directorate of Technical Education of Bangladesh and Tertiary
and Vocational Education Commission of Sri Lanka on Exchange of Documentation
on Vocational Qualifications was inked by Bangladesh Education Minister Dr
Dipu Moni and Sri Lankan Education Minister Professor GL Peiris.
MoU on Cooperation for Training of Bangladesh Nurses and Health Care
Workers in Sri Lanka was signed by Bangladesh Health Minister Zahid Maleque
and Sri Lankan state minister for Money and Capital market and State
Enterprise Reforms Ministry Ajith Nivard Cabraal.
MoU on cooperation between Bangladesh Institute of International and
Strategic Studies and Lakshman Kadirgamar Institute of International
Relations and Strategic Studies was signed by State Minister for Foreign
Affairs of Bangladesh Md Shahriar Alam and Sri Lankan State Minister of
Regional Cooperation Tharaka Balasuriya.
Apart from these, MoU on Cultural exchange Programme between Bangladesh and
Sri Lanka for years 2021-2025 was signed by Cultural Affairs Secretary Badrul
Arefin and Sri Lankan secretary to the Prime Minister Gamini Sedara Senarath.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda
Rajapaksa witnessed the signing ceremony.
The MoUs were inked after the bilateral talks between Bangladesh and Sri
Lanka that took place at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) here.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and visiting Sri Lankan Prime
Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa led their respective delegation sides at the
talks.
Before the formal talks, the two leaders also held a tête-à-tête for some
time.
Earlier, on arrival of the Sri Lankan premier at the PMO, he was received
by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at the Tiger Gate.
Rajapaksa arrived in Dhaka on Friday morning on a two-day bilateral visit
to join the celebration of the birth centenary of Father of the Nation
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and golden jubilee of the country’s
independence.