CA Yunus, Timor-Leste President hold fruitful meeting, eye closer ties

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus and Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta today (15 December) held "fruitful discussions" and shared their ideas to take the relations between the two countries to a new height.

They witnessed the signing of two instruments — an MoU on a bilateral consultations mechanism and an agreement on visa exemption for diplomatic and official passport holders — to further strengthen relations.

The two leaders had a tete-a-tete, which was followed by a delegation-level meeting.

After the bilateral meeting, Chief Adviser Yunus and Timor-Leste President Jose Ramos-Horta appeared in a joint press conference at the Chief Adviser's Office.

Earlier in the morning, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain met President of Timor-Leste José Ramos-Horta and discussed issues of mutual interest.

The meeting, held at a city hotel, discussed ways to deepen the relations between the two countries.

While welcoming the President of Timor-Leste on his first official visit to Bangladesh, Foreign Adviser Hossain discussed issues of mutual interest with the visiting President, a senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.

During his stay in Dhaka, the president will engage in a series of meetings and events to strengthen bilateral ties between the two nations.

He was accorded a red carpet reception on his arrival here on Saturday night on a four-day official visit.

The Chief Adviser received President Ramos-Horta at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on his arrival around 10:40pm.

He was given a state salute and guard of honour by a smartly turned-out contingent of Bangladesh Armed Forces.  He inspected the guard of honour while the countries' national anthems were played.

President Ramos-Horta is accompanied by a 19-member delegation, including Timor-Leste's Foreign Minister.

In the afternoon, Ramos-Horta is scheduled to meet the honorary consul of Timor-Leste in Bangladesh, Kutubuddin Ahmed, and Bangladesh Football Federation President and BNP leader, Tabith Awal.

On 16 December, Ramos-Horta will call on the President of Bangladesh at Bangabhaban.

He will also visit the National Martyrs' Memorial in Savar to pay homage to Bangladesh's Liberation War heroes.

The President will attend the 54th Victory Day celebrations, marking Bangladesh's historic victory in 1971.

On his final day, 17 December, the President of Timor-Leste will deliver a lecture at the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) auditorium on "The Challenges of Peace in the Contemporary World."

He is expected to interact with Bangladeshi students and young leaders, sharing his experiences leading his country's independence movement, the role of the people, and Timor-Leste's post-independence aspirations.

President Ramos-Horta will leave Dhaka later in the day, concluding his visit to foster diplomatic and cultural relations between Bangladesh and Timor-Leste.