Foreign leaders attending BRICS summit laud Bangladesh's development under PM Hasina's leadership: Momen

Foreign leaders attending the BRICS summit lauded Bangladesh's development under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's leadership, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen said.

Bilateral meetings between Sheikh Hasina and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, President of Mozambique Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, President of Tanzania Dr Saima Sulluhu and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi were held at Sandton Convention Centre on Wednesday.

A meeting was also held between Bangladesh's premier and President of the New Development Bank Dilma Vana Rousseff at the same venue.

During the meetings, Momen said, the five dignitaries highly praised Bangladesh's remarkable development under Sheikh Hasina's prudent leadership.

He said Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva assured Bangladesh to give all sorts of cooperation and invited the Bangladesh Premier to visit Brazil at the convenient time.

He said after bilateral talks with Sheikh Hasina, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has expressed his desire to visit Bangladesh again to see in person the massive development of Bangladesh citing that he had earlier visited Jessore in Bangladesh30 years back when the country was very poor.

During the bilateral meeting with President of Mozambique Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, the premier sought investment from Mozambique on a larger scale particularly in pharmaceuticals.

President of the New Development Bank Dilma Vana Rousseff has expressed her organisation's eagerness to provide assistance to Bangladesh particularly in the projects regarding women empowerment, saying that the bank has already sanctioned $700 million in two development schemes in Bangladesh.

"I can assure you Bangladesh will get top priority from the New Development Bank as long as I am the President of the bank," she said.   

The prime minister arrived in Johannesburg to attend the 15th BRICS Summit on 22 August at the invitation of the Current Chair of BRICS and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.

On the sidelines of the BRICS Plus Dialogue, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo earlier exchanged pleasantries with the Bangladesh premier.

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Vice-President of Uganda, Deputy Prime Minister of South Africa, Russian Foreign Minister, Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia also exchanged pleasantries with Sheikh Hasina.

The premier also joined a photo session with the heads of state and government who arrived in Johannesburg to attend the 15th BRICS Summit.

PM's Speechwriter Md Nazrul Islam was present during the briefing.