Spanish businesses keen to make investment in Bangladesh: Envoy

Many Spanish entrepreneurs are keen to visit Bangladesh to make investments here in different sectors, said the country's outgoing envoy on Wednesday, reports UNB.

Francisco de Asis Benitez Salas said this during a farewell call on Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina at the latter's official residence Ganabhaban, PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim told a media briefing.

In this regard, the prime minister said the Spanish investors are welcome here. "They can make investments in any sector of their choice," she said.

The Spanish ambassador put emphasis on enhancing cooperation on agro-based industries between the two countries saying that his country's agro-based industry is highly productive.

The premier sought the GSP+ facilities from Spain for Bangladesh during the post-graduation period as the country is going to come out from the status of LDC in 2026.

Talking about 60,000 Bangladeshi expatriates living in Spain, the PM and the envoy cited that they are contributing to the economies of both countries.

The premier fondly recalled her visit to Spain to join the COP25 at Madrid in December, 2019.

Francisco highly appreciated the unprecedented development of Bangladesh particularly in the political, social and economic sectors and women empowerment in the last 15 years under the dynamic leadership of PM Hasina.

In this context, the prime minister said her government has been working tirelessly for the overall development of Bangladesh following the footprints of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

The Spanish envoy highly praised the management of Bangladesh during the Covid-19 period as there were very low Covid casualties here.

In response, PM Hasina said, "We have given topmost priorities in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic."

PM’s Ambassador-at-Large Mohammad Ziauddin and PM’s Principal Secretary M. Tofazzel Hossain Miah were present.