Belgian Deputy Prime Minister Didier Reynders, also the country’s foreign minister, has expressed desire to ‘closely cooperate’ with Dhaka to combat terrorism and violent extremism. He also expressed his country’s ‘keenness’ in expanding economic ties between Dhaka and Brussels.
During a meeting with Law Minister Anisul Huq and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam in Brussels on Wednesday, the Belgian foreign minister recalled the horrific terrorist attacks in Brussels in the recent past and expressed desire to have closer cooperation with Bangladesh in fighting global scourge of terrorism and violent extremism, according to a foreign ministry press release forwarded on Thursday. Expressing gratitude for the valuable support by the people and Government of Belgium during the War of Liberation in 1971, Law Minister Anisul Huq urged the Belgian foreign minister to reopen its resident mission in Dhaka soon so that the two countries can engage on broader economic activities. Belgium had closed its embassy in Dhaka in 1990. The Belgian minister assured of ‘actively’ considering the proposal and take practical steps, at least to establish a representational office in one of the European missions in Dhaka. At the reminder of Bangladesh foreign minister’s invitation to visit Dhaka, he indicated his willingness to undertake such visit in the context of his scheduled tour in the region later in the year.