As part of the move to expand diplomatic activities across the world, the government is going to open a new office of the consul general in Toronto, Canada, and reopen another in Sydney, Australia, sources in the foreign ministry said. For this, the foreign ministry has readied two proposals, which would be placed at the next meeting of the secretary committee on administrative improvement affairs on May 30, the sources said. In his proposal, foreign secretary Md Shahidul Haque has said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina recently gave her consent to the opening and reopening of consulates in Toronto of Canada and Sydney of Australia. The proposal states there are over 1,00,000 expatriate Bangladeshis in Toronto, a business city of the north American country , where consulates of 92 countries, including those of India, Pakistan and Afghanistan, are located.
“Most of the expatriate Bangladeshis are not getting consular access, as the Bangladesh mission is located in Ottawa, the Canadian capital, about 400 km from Toronto,” the proposal said.
“It will help to expand the markets of Bangladeshi products in Canada, if the authorities concerned open a consulate in Toronto,” the foreign ministry proposal added.
On the other side of the globe, about 72,000 Bangladeshi expatriates are currently in Sydney, Australia. The city is known as the country’s "business area". Over 100 countries, including India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, have consular representation here, says the foreign ministry proposal.
“Already, the government of Australia has given quota-free and tax-free access of Bangladeshi goods to their market, and it will be possible to expand the market for Bangladeshi items if the office of the consular general is reopened in Sydney,” the proposal added.
It says the consulate in Sydney was closed down in 1991 because of various reasons.
Sources said the foreign ministry planned to open new missions abroad with a view to safeguarding national interest, face global challenges, open new horizons for promoting the country's trade and commerce, and also create new job markets.
The foreign ministry represents the country to foreign governments and international organisations through its 65 missions across the globe.
This is to develop and maintain friendly relations with other states and foster cooperation with developed, developing, and least developed countries as well as with various international, regional, sub-regional, political and economic groups.