DHAKA: President Bidya Devi Bhandari has said that the cooperation and collaboration between Nepal, Bangladesh, and India should be consolidated for energy trade.

Speaking as a distinguished guest at the ‘Nepal-Bangladesh Relations and Bangabandhu’s birth centenary’ held at the National Parade Square here today, President Bhandari said that Nepal’s hydropower and Bangladesh’s natural gas could be important means for fulfilling the needs for development.

As in energy, the two countries need to promote collaboration in trade, transit, connectivity, tourism, education, and culture sectors, she said.

Stating that removing difficulties in trade, development of infrastructure and easy access to the market could bring a notable increase in trade, President Bhandari emphasized the need to minimize the trade imbalance to the benefit of both countries.

She also called for expanding connectivity through additional flights between Kathmandu and Dhaka, and the establishment of air contact between large cities like Saidpur of Bangladesh and Biratnagar of Nepal.

She opined that the water route could be developed as the River connectivity of Nepal with India and Bangladesh is feasible for the same. Upgradation of roads and railways could also ease the process for bilateral trade routes.

President Bhandari on the occasion expressed her pleasure in the forwarding of the process to promote bilateral trade via railway after storing goods in Rohanpur of Bangladesh. The President argued that both countries could benefit through bilateral tourism as both are enriched with natural beauty, cultural assets, and archeological sites.

She shared that Bangladesh was achieving rapid development and success as per Bangabandhu’s dream of Sonar Bangal. President Bhandari further mentioned that Nepal was centering her all efforts to materialize the national campaign of Prosperous Nepal: Happy Nepali and will soon upgrade to a middle-income country.

Expressing gratitude to President Bhandari for extending best wishes to the inaugural session of birth centenary celebrations of former President Bangabandhu through video message last year, Bangladeshi President Mohammad Abdul Hamid recalled that the Nepali leaders and people had provided moral support and weapons to the independence movement of Bangladesh.

Similarly, Prime Minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, expressed happiness over the upgrading of both countries- Nepal and Bangladesh, to the middle-income country together and thanked Nepal for its support to the independence movement of her country.

On the occasion, cultural performances were presented by Bangladeshi and Nepali artists. Members of the President’s entourage President Bhandari’s daughter, Usha Kiran Bhandari, Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali, Nepali Ambassador to Bangladesh, Dr Bamshidhar Mishra, and other members of were also present on the occasion. Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, Dr AK Abdul Momen, was also present at the program.

President Bhandari, leading a Nepali delegation arrived here, on a two-day State visit, earlier today.

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