{"id":121356,"date":"2021-12-20T18:28:56","date_gmt":"2021-12-21T01:28:56","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/?p=121356"},"modified":"2021-12-20T18:28:56","modified_gmt":"2021-12-21T01:28:56","slug":"france-and-bangladesh-can-benefit-from-growing-trade-and-strategic-ties","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/2021\/12\/20\/france-and-bangladesh-can-benefit-from-growing-trade-and-strategic-ties\/","title":{"rendered":"France And Bangladesh Can Benefit From Growing Trade And Strategic Ties"},"content":{"rendered":"

MD Pathik Hasan<\/em><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n

France has historical relations with\nBangladesh. Bangladesh’s contact with France dates back to the war of\nliberation. Relations between Bangladesh and France have historically been\ncordial. The foundation of this relationship was laid in the distant past. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The contribution of the French in\nthe liberation war of Bangladesh is also memorable. The French writer and\nthinker Andre Malraux<\/a> said that he considered the war of\nindependence of Bangladesh as his own war. He also expressed his desire to come\nto this country to take part in this war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, during the war of liberation,\na humanitarian French youth named Jean Kay<\/a> tried to hijack a Pakistani\nairliner (PIA) to demand medicine and medical supplies for Bangladeshi refugees\nwho had taken refuge in India.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After this incident, the French\ngovernment decided to help Bangladesh and 20 tons<\/a> of medicine and medical supplies\nwere delivered to the Indian refugee camps. Even in the post-independence\nperiod, good relations have always existed between Bangladesh and France.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recently, Bangladesh\u2019s Prime\nMinister Sheikh Hasina<\/a> completed an important and\nmultidimensional visit<\/a> to France which has added a new\ndimension to Bangladesh and France relations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She visited Paris from November 9 to\n13 at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron. The visit could start\nthe journey of taking the partnership between the two countries to a strategic\nlevel. Earlier, Sheikh Hasina had a bilateral meeting with Emanuel Macron at\nElysee Palace in December 2017.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just as Dhaka seeks the support of a\nmajor power like Paris in its development journey, so too France seeks to sell\ntrade, investment and security equipment to a growing Bangladesh. A number of\nMoUs as well as a letter of intent in the security sector were signed during\nthis visit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the visit, the Prime Minister\nheld bilateral meetings with French President Macron and Prime Minister\nJean-Castex, as well as meetings with major business associations and groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the Prime Minister’s visit, a\nmemorandum of understanding on defense cooperation was signed between the two\ncountries on November 10<\/a>. On the same day, Sheikh Hasina had\na meeting with the President of France Emanuel Macron.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two leaders discussed issues of\nmutual interest, taking the bilateral relations further, celebrating the 50th\nanniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, and other issues\nof international and regional importance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A joint statement issued after the\nmeeting said that during the meeting between President Emanuel Macron and Prime\nMinister Sheikh Hasina, the two countries expressed interest in further\nexpanding the existing partnership in defense and security. To this end, the\ntwo countries have agreed to strengthen dialogue and cooperation. Prime\nMinister Sheikh Hasina later held a meeting with French Prime Minister Jean\nCosta Rica. At this time a memorandum of understanding was signed between the\ntwo countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a developing country, Bangladesh\nwants to continue its trade with France, its largest export market. At the same\ntime, it seeks to diversify its sources of investment, the import of French\ngoods at affordable prices, and the procurement of security equipment for the\nimplementation of the Forces Goal 2030. France is one of Bangladesh\u2019s largest\ntrading partners and development partners. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

France is currently the fifth\nlargest export destination for Bangladesh. There is scope for further expansion\nof this commercial communication. France is a country rich in art and\nliterature.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During Prime Minister Sheikh\nHasina’s visit, Bangladesh and France signed three agreements on financial\nassistance and technical cooperation. Under the two agreements, France will\nprovide 330<\/a> million euros to Dhaka to support\nBangladesh’s development projects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Representatives of\nthe Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry signed<\/a> a memorandum of\nunderstanding with MEDEF International to boost bilateral trade and investment\nat the France-Bangladesh Business Council Meeting in France on November 10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

France is one of the world’s leading\nexporters of heavy industries such as bullet trains, warships, and submarines.\nSo, Bangladesh can benefit if trade relations with France improve. The Prime\nMinister called upon French businessmen to invest in Bangladesh. Different\nindustries can also be developed through joint ventures of the two countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bangladesh needs France in the\nRohingya crisis solution. France has already assured<\/a> Bangladesh that it would help\nBangladesh in this regard. France as an active member of \u2018United Nations\nSecurity Council\u2019 and \u2018European Union\u2019 can raise the voice amongst\ninternational community in favor of Rohingya repatriation. Bangladesh can\nbenefit from the support of Bangladesh in this regard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, the possibility\nof exporting new products from Bangladesh to France should also be explored.\nCooperation between the two countries can also be strengthened in the fields of\neducation and industry and culture. Relations between Bangladesh and France\ncontinue to grow, which is desirable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Economic opportunities are being\ncreated in Bangladesh. France wants to take advantage of that. France is also\ninterested in selling military products. The country is more interested in\nselling Rafale warplanes, training aircraft, radars, simulators, e-Visa,\nnuclear power plants and other products. According to the website of the French\nEmbassy in Bangladesh, for the first time in 2020, French Defense Minister\nFlorence Parle and Chief of Air Staff Philippe Lavigne visited Dhaka.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a key member of NATO, France and\nthe country were experienced in building weapons. Bangladesh has the defense\ncapability and France is interested in the Forces Goal 2030<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The head of Airbus<\/a>, Europe’s largest aircraft\nmanufacturer met with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The head of Thales<\/a>, a company that sells high-tech\nproducts, including satellites and radar, also met with BD PM.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After buying a few aircraft from\nBoeing in the United States, many companies want to sell the aircraft to\nBangladesh. Airbus is one of them. On the other hand, Thales is selling\nmilitary and civilian radar in Bangladesh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The top leadership of France had\ndiscussed with the Prime Minister several times in bilateral and various\nforums, adding that the growing development of Bangladesh has attracted the\nattention of France. The visit could be considered as a major step forward in\nestablishing multidimensional and strategic relations. France wants to see its\npresence in Indo-Pacific<\/a> on a larger scale and they want\nBangladesh as a partner in the region. Bangladesh is currently the chair of the\nIndian Ocean Rim Association which has further increased Bangladesh\u2019s\nimportance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

France has its own Indo-Pacific\nstrategy. Through this visit, both sides got an opportunity to know each\nother’s views on the issue. Recent AUKUS issue has created some kind of distance\nbetween France and UK, USA, Australia. France lost a billion dollars (90\nbillion) business deal. Thus, France needs some alternative markets. France<\/a> needs Bangladesh to sell its military gadgets. The recent\nDefense pact between France and Bangladesh is just an example to understand\nthis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bangladesh and France have <\/strong>signed<\/a> a letter of intent on defence cooperation to further\ndevelop the defence and security component of their partnership.<\/strong> The two countries agreed<\/a> to further develop\nthe defence and security component of their partnership based on the needs\nexpressed and each party’s ability to respond to them using different methods,\nincluding through capacity building and potential technology transfer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

France needs Bangladesh in the\nregion. Bangladesh and France can work together to ensure the implementation of\n\u2018Free and Open Indo Pacific region. Bangladesh and France agreed to strengthen <\/strong>business<\/a> ties. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

France got a business partner in its\nongoing crisis moment with the US, UK, and Australia. Reshaping ties with\nBangladesh can give France some sort of comfort. It is true that France is\nbothered by the AUKUS issue. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bangladesh also got an assurance\nfrom a European actor who is a permanent member of the UNSC and EU.  I say\nit is an opportunity for Bangladesh. Bangladesh should utilize this golden\nopportunity. Bangladesh should engage itself with the international community\nusing the French Card in case of the Rohingya crisis solution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to the reports of media\noutlets, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also expressed happiness over the outcome\nof her visit to France in November last and hoped to sustain the momentum in\nthe coming years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I am indeed very\nhappy with the discussion and outcome of my France visit November last and hope\nto sustain the momentum in the coming years,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The prime minister\ncame up with the remarks while French Ambassador Jean-Marin Schuh paid a\nfarewell call on her at her official Ganabhaban residence here on December 19,\n2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The prime minister\nthanked French President for inviting her on an official bilateral visit to\nParis in November last.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the\ndiscussion, Sheikh Hasina said that Bangladesh has historical bondage with\nFrance because the French government and its people supported Bangladesh during\nits Liberation War in 1971.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The French envoy\ninformed the premier that her government will provide 1.2 million Covid-19\nvaccines under the Covax this week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said France is\ngoing to take up chairmanship of European Union next February and set to hold\nan Indo-Pacific summit with the countries of the region in the same month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He said they would\ninvite Bangladesh in the Indo-Pacific summit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The envoy also said\nthat a joint communiqu\u00e9 was signed between France and Bangladesh which covered\nmany aspects of the relations of the countries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Economic and\npolitical relations between France and Bangladesh is enhancing, he also said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About the impact of\nthe Covid-19, Sheikh Hasina said that all countries have suffered consequences\ndue to the Covid-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We have huge\npopulation. We carried forward our economic activities despite the pandemic,\u201d\nshe said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On the other hand, Bangladesh is one\nof the most affected countries due to climate change and France has always\nsupported the issue of justification for overcoming the damage. Apart from\nthis, Paris has been supporting Dhaka in various forums including the UN\nSecurity Council on the Rohingya issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The visit of BD PM Sheikh Hasina to\nFrance could bring France and Bangladesh closer in the sector of security,\ntrade, defense trade. France got a reliable trade partner in the Indo-pacific<\/a> region and Bangladesh got a western\nally. At this moment, France needs Bangladesh and vice versa. This strategic\nvisit of BD PM would give some sort of comport to both parties. The trade and\nstrategic ties are increasing between France and Bangladesh. Bangladesh and France\ncan benefit from growing trade and strategic ties. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

MD Pathik Hasan France has historical relations with Bangladesh. Bangladesh’s contact with France dates back to the war of liberation. Relations between Bangladesh and France have historically been cordial. The foundation of this relationship was laid in the distant past. The contribution of the French in the liberation war of Bangladesh is also memorable. The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[179],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-121356","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-md-pathik-hasan"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121356","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=121356"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/121356\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=121356"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=121356"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.lankaweb.com\/news\/items\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=121356"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}