PAST EVENT: EU-Bangladesh Cooperation – Opportunities and the Bengal Tiger Economy
Study Circle London and the European Institute for Asian Studies (EIAS) had the pleasure of organising a Conference on “EU-Bangladesh Cooperation – Opportunities and the Bengal Tiger Economy”. The Conference took place at EIAS (Rue de la Loi 26, 10th floor, B-1040 Brussels – Belgium) on Wednesday, 5 July 2023 from 11:00 to 13:00 and was followed by a networking lunch.
Date: Wednesday, 5 July 2023
Time: 11:00-13:00 followed by a networking lunch
Registration: 10:30-11:00
Venue: EIAS Brussels
Programme:
10:30 – 11:00 Registration
11:00 – 11:15 Opening Remarks
Welcome Remarks by the chair: Lin Goethals, Director, EIAS
Opening Remarks: H.E Ambassador Mahbub Hassan Saleh, Ambassador of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh to the Kingdom of Belgium, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and Mission to the European Union
11:15 – 11:30 Keynote Speech: Faruque Hassan, President, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA)
11:30 – 11:45 Presentation of the Study “Bangladesh: The Journey of Indomitable Development”: Syed Mozammel Ali, Chairperson, Study Circle London
11:45 – 13:00 Panel Discussion
Nahim Razzaq, Member, Bangladesh Parliament
Rensje Teerink, Head of Division for South Asia, European External Action Service
Advocate Tarana Halim Former MP, and State Minister of Post and Telecommunications, Government of Bangladesh
John Cornet d’Elzius, Federal Public Service for Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation of the Kingdom of Belgium
Milan Zver, Member of the European Parliament
The panel discussion will be followed by an interactive Q&A session with the audience
13:00 – 14:00 Networking Lunch served by Sapla Masala Restaurant
EU-Bangladesh Cooperation – Opportunities and the Bengal Tiger Economy
Bangladesh’s remarkable development progress has been widely acknowledged with visible advancements made across various sectors. The country is on a trajectory to graduate from the UN least developed country category by 2026 and aims to achieve a developed country status by 2041. The Bangladesh government’s proactive approach in areas like transportation, communication, women’s education and job creation has been instrumental in propelling the nation’s progressive development process. During the conference, Study Circle London will present its recent study “Bangladesh: The Journey of Indomitable Development”, covering Bangladesh’s development over the past decade.
Moreover, the European Union has played a significant role as a development partner for Bangladesh, extending financial aid, technical expertise, and capacity building support across diverse sectors. EU-Bangladesh cooperation therefore holds great potential for fostering inclusive and sustainable growth. As Bangladesh continues to grow, its development in areas like digitalisation, climate change adaptation and renewable energy aligns with the EU’s green deal and digital agenda goals, presenting opportunities for enhanced trade and investment relations, collaboration and knowledge sharing.
This conference delved into the multifaceted relationship between Bangladesh and the EU, exploring the implications of Bangladesh’s remarkable development on EU-Bangladesh relations, assessing opportunities for enhanced future collaboration.
Photo Credits: Pixabay