Ambassador of Bhutan to Bangladesh Rinchen Kuentsyl paid a courtesy visit to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday (16 October) at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka.
The discussions centred around enhancing trade between the two nations, establishing a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) for Bhutan in Bangladesh, cooperation in renewable energy, other areas of mutual interest, and the profound influence of Bengal on Buddhism in the Himalayan kingdom, said a press release.
During the meeting, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus underscored the importance of strengthening economic and trade ties between the "very friendly" nations.
"We would like to see our relations grow stronger," he affirmed.
Bhutanese envoy lauded the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) signed between the two countries in 2020, noting that Bhutan enjoys a trade surplus with Bangladesh—the only country with which it does so. He called for the inclusion of more products under the PTA, citing the vast potential for expanded trade between the two nations.
Ambassador Kuentsyl also expressed appreciation for the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the establishment of a Bhutanese SEZ in Kurigram.
He mentioned that Bhutan has already formed a Working Group in accordance with the MoU.
Further, the Ambassador highlighted the historical contributions of Bangladeshi Buddhist monks and scholars to the propagation of Buddhism in Tibet, Nepal, and Bhutan.
He referred to Shantarakshita, an eighth-century monk who was an ancestor of Atish Dipankar, the renowned 10th-century monk credited with reviving Buddhism in Tibet—both of whom were born in the modern-day Munshiganj district of Bangladesh.
Kuentsyl also noted that as early as the 15th century, Vanaratna, another Bangladeshi-born monk, visited Bhutan and established a statue of Buddha and a monastery, both of which are still revered by the people of Bhutan today.
Lamiya Morshed, senior secretary and principal coordinator of SDG Affairs, and Ishrat Jahan, a director general of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, were also present at the meeting.
