Bangladesh urges New Zealand to expand education cooperation

State minister Md Abdul Bari on Sunday urged New Zealand to expand imports of Bangladeshi products and strengthen cooperation in food security, modern food management and education.

He made the call during a courtesy meeting with New Zealand High Commissioner to Bangladesh David Pine at the Ministry of Food in Dhaka.
The state minister welcomed the New Zealand delegation and discussed ways to expand bilateral economic and trade relations, strengthen food security cooperation and enhance collaboration in other areas, according to a Food Ministry press release.

Abdul Bari informed the delegation about the government’s initiatives to ensure food security across the country. He said New Zealand could consider increasing imports of Bangladeshi readymade garments, pharmaceuticals, leather and leather goods as the quality and competitiveness of Bangladeshi products had improved significantly in the global market.

He said ensuring safe food for all citizens remained one of the government’s major challenges and sought New Zealand’s cooperation in safe food management, modern technology and capacity building.

The state minister also requested New Zealand authorities to increase admission opportunities and expand educational and research facilities for Bangladeshi students at New Zealand universities.

During the meeting, David Pine praised Bangladesh’s socio-economic progress and the government’s success in food management. He said Bangladesh and New Zealand enjoyed long-standing friendly bilateral relations.

The high commissioner also appreciated the performance and positive contributions of Bangladeshi students studying in New Zealand.