Norway interested to help harness blue economy

Norwegian ambassador to Bangladesh Espen Rikter-Svendsen expressed on Sunday interests to provide his country's technical support to harness the potential of the blue economy at the Bay of Bengal.
Norway has a long experience in exploring maritime resources and Bangladesh can be immensely benefited by applying Norwegian experiences, said the ambassador during his meeting with industries minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun at the ministry of industries (MoI) in the city.

The meeting elaborately discussed the strategies on the best utilisation of the blue economy for socio-economic development of Bangladesh.
Besides, development of ship-recycling industry and training to the people involved in the sector by Norway, management of industrial waste and marine litter, and adoption of modern technology for processing of marine fisheries and preservation of dried fishes also figured in the discussion.
Mentioning the technical cooperation provided to Bangladesh by Norway in developing its ship-recycling industry, Mr Humayun said the sector (ship-recycling) started getting an institutional shape.
He requested the envoy to increase the number of technicians and technical supports from Norway for enhancing skills of the people (workers and others) involved in this sector.
The envoy assured the minister that cooperation from his country will continue for the development of Bangladesh's ship-recycling industry.
Before the meeting with the Norwegian envoy, Iran's ambassador in Dhaka Mohammad Reza Nafar called on the industries minister at his MoI office.
They discussed issues of mutual interests and cooperation between the two countries in different sectors for the benefits of the two nations.
The Iranian ambassador praised Bangladesh's growth and economic progress made by the country amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.
He also praised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for providing shelter to Rohingya refugees from Myanmar in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar.
The industries minister said that Bangladesh and Iran have been maintaining historically good relationships.
He said, "Bangladesh is very sincere to develop the present good relations further with Iran."
He stressed the need to work jointly for mutual benefits of the two brotherly countries.
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