Dhaka and Colombo on Saturday (Mar 20) 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, local media reported.
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) in Dhaka. 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 tete-a-tete 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.
