German, French FM visit projects in BD

Foreign ministers of France and Germany Laurent Fabius and Dr. Frank-Walter Steinmeier arrive  in the city Monday (today) morning on a three-day official visit mainly to witness a number of German funded projects in the southern part of the country, reports BSS.

During the visit, they will also jointly inaugurate a Franco-German embassy building in Dhaka.

In Patuakhali, they will visit BARI Lebukhali Regional Horticulture Research Station to witness training activities on winter vegetable cultivation and integrated pest management in demonstration fields and to exchange views with 10 female and 20 male farmers from climate change-affected coastal areas.

The foreign ministers of the two influential European countries and Bangladesh's development partners will visit Haqtulla Cyclone Centre and exchange views with the students and teachers of a primary school.

During their Patuakhali visit, they will exchange views with local community including CPP volunteers, Union Disaster Management Committee and School Management Committee. They will reach Dhaka around 12.30 pm.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali, envoys of the two European countries, the agriculture secretary, among others, will accompany the two foreign ministers during the visit.

Earlier on Thursday, Mr Ali formally announced the visit programme of his German and France counterparts to Bangladesh describing their visit as a "historic" one as "such a joint visit has never taken place before."

Mr Ali said his French counterpart, Laurent Fabius, had proposed the joint visit when they met in Paris in June.

"I instantly agreed to the proposal without any hesitation as I thought such visit would help boost our relations with both the powerful nations," he added.