Sheikh Hasina calls for more Indian investments in Bangladesh

New Delhi [India], Oct 3 (ANI): Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday urged Indian investors to step up their investment in Bangladesh, saying her country "knows how to transform challenges into opportunities."
"It is the time for global investors, particularly Indian entrepreneurs, to invest in Bangladesh in areas like education, engineering, and artificial intelligence," the prime minister said at an interactive session of the World Economic Forum.
She added, "We do face challenges like any other country but we know how to transform challenges into opportunities."
The prime minister told the crowd gathered at the session that this year Bangladesh's economy noted a record high-growth of 8.13 per cent.
"We are close to achieving double-digit growth," she said while assuring further that agriculture is no longer subsistence farming. "We are second in jute, fourth largest in rice production and mangoes, and fifth in inland fisheries."
Hasina arrived earlier today on a four-day visit to India at the invitation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, with an aim to further intensify bilateral relations between the two countries.
She is scheduled to participate as the chief guest at the India Economic Summit organised by the World Economic Forum (WEF) on October 3 and 4.
During the visit, the Bangladesh Prime Minister will call on President Ram Nath Kovind and hold bilateral discussions with Modi on October 5.
This will be Hasina's first visit to India since the completion of the elections in Bangladesh and India, a press statement from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.
"Apart from a number of agreements that are to be exchanged between the sides during the visit, the two Prime Ministers will also jointly inaugurate three bilateral projects via video link," the statement said.
On September 27, Hasina and Modi had met on the sidelines of the 73rd session of the UN General Assembly in New York where the two leaders reiterated their zero-tolerance approach against terrorism and violent extremism and noted that strong ties in the security sector had built trust and mutual confidence between the two countries.
During Hasina's visit to India, both countries are expected to review the Rohingya and Teesta river water sharing issues, apart from inking agreements in various sectors.
"Prime Minister Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi may definitely discuss different issues, including the Teesta as well as Rohingyas," The Dhaka Tribune quoted Bangladesh High Commissioner to India, Syed Muazzem Ali, as saying.
On the sidelines of the India Economic Forum meet, the two countries are likely to sign a number of MoUs in different areas, including connectivity, culture, technical cooperation and trade and investment, Muazzem said.
"It is so far confirmed that seven to eight MoUs are to be signed, mostly on connectivity, cultural and technical cooperation, and trade and investment after the bilateral meeting of the two prime ministers on October 5," he said.
However, the High Commissioner also stated that the number of MoUs could be as high as 10.
Muazzem further remarked that the Bangladesh Prime Minister would also seek more investments from major Indian investors. (ANI)