By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo

 

The Embassy of Bangladesh in Seoul hosted a reception at the Lotte Hotel, Seoul on April 15, 2024 to commemorate the Independence and National Day of Bangladesh.

A great number of foreign ambassadors, senior diplomats, high-ranking Korean and foreign government officials, business leaders, and their spouses attended the event filled with great fervor and festivity.

 

Among the VIP guests at the reception were Deputy Minister for Protocol Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Korea Kim Tae-jin and David Kim, Honorary Consul General of Bangladesh and concurrently chairman of KHI.

The reception was also attended by a large number of guests including the ambassadors, diplomats, Korean senior government officials, accomplished businessmen and representatives of renowned business organizations, members of the civil society, representatives of the media and the expatriate Bangladesh community living in Seoul. 

 

Among foreign ambassadors on hand at the gala reception were Aida Ismailova of the Kyrgyz Republic, Nabeel Munir of Pakistan, Begench Durdyyev of Turkmenistan, Amit Kumar of India, Maria Theresa B. Dizon-De Vega of the Philippines, Nurgali Arystanov of Kazakhstan, and Murat Tamer of Turkiye.

In his welcoming remarks, Ambassador M. Delwar Hossain said, “The people of Bangladesh strived for independence in pursuit of the long-cherished dream of ‘Sonar Bangla’-an independent and prosperous country; free from discrimination, subjugation, and injustice.

 

“On this great occasion, I render homage to the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who successfully steered the nation to independence in 1971. I pay tribute to the valiant freedom fighters and 3 million martyrs who made supreme sacrifice for the independence of the country.”

Noting that over the years, Bangladesh has achieved significant progress in materializing the dream, Amb. Hossain said, “The diligent people of Bangladesh have transformed a highly impoverished country into one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Persistent robust economic growth and remarkable progress in various social sectors have led to significant improvements in people’s overall living standard.”

 

He also said, “The present government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has undertaken multifarious initiatives and numerous infrastructure projects with a view to enhancing the competitiveness of the economy and transforming Bangladesh into a prosperous country by 2041.”

 

In his congratulatory remarks, Deputy Minister for Protocol Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kim Tae-jin said, “Korea and Bangladesh share a parallel historic unity marked by a circle for unity, independence and the proud preservation of our native languages.

 

 

Commenting that Korea has been with Bangladesh from the beginning, growing with Bangladesh's very made garment industry, Kim said, “The cooperation between our two countries has extended beyond our energy to infrastructure, electronics, and automobiles. We look forward to a full scale operation in the near future.”

 

He added, “It is imperative that we should work together to further strengthen our friendship. I hope that our two countries can further advance to mutually beneficial relationship.”

 

A colorful cultural program featuring Bangladeshi and Korean dance performances and instrumentals mesmerized the audience.

 

 

The following is the full-text of the speech of H.E. Mr. Delwar Hossain, Ambassador of Bangladesh to the ROK at the reception on the 53rd anniversary of the Independence & National Day of Bangladesh. –Ed.  

 

It is my pleasure to welcome you all at the celebration of the 53rd anniversary of the Independence and National Day of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh this evening. We feel deeply honoured by your gracious presence here. 

 

On this great occasion, I render homage to the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who successfully steered the nation to independence in 1971. I pay tribute to the valiant freedom fighters and 3 million martyrs who made supreme sacrifice for the independence of the country. I also recall with profound gratitude the invaluable support and solidarity extended by our foreign friends across the globe during our liberation war. 

 

 

The people of Bangladesh strived for independence in pursuit of the long-cherished dream of ‘Sonar Bangla’-an independent and prosperous country; free from discrimination, subjugation, and injustice. 
    
Over the years, Bangladesh has achieved significant progress in materializing the dream. The diligent people of Bangladesh have transformed a highly impoverished country into one of the fastest growing economies in the world. Persistent robust economic growth and remarkable progress in various social sectors have led to significant improvements in people’s overall living standard. 

 

Drawing inspirations from our past achievements, we now seek to make a bigger stride towards our dreams and aspirations. The present government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has undertaken multifarious initiatives and numerous infrastructure projects with a view to enhancing the competitiveness of the economy and transforming Bangladesh into a prosperous country by 2041. With a vibrant private sector, a huge pool of competent workforce and a sizable domestic market, Bangladesh is now well poised to engage in deeper mutually beneficial cooperation with the international partners and friends.   

 

Bangladesh and Republic of Korea enjoy excellent bilateral relations, based on mutual respect, shared values and common aspirations. Over the years, our partnership has witnessed tremendous expansion in both depth and dimension. Our two countries enjoy deeper engagements and collaboration on regional and global issues of common interest, particularly on peace, development, and climate change.  

 

The Republic of Korea is now a key economic and development partner of Bangladesh. The bilateral trade surpassed US$ 3 billion mark in 2022 and is expected expand further in the coming years. The Republic of Korea is one of the largest foreign investors in Bangladesh with an exclusive export processing zone for the Korean companies. Various products like mobile phones, home appliances, and automobiles are being produced in Bangladesh in collaboration with the Korean renowned conglomerates.

 

Moreover, Bangladesh remains one of the top three recipients of Korean ODA since long. A substantial number of Bangladeshi nationals have been working for Korean companies here in Korea and in many other countries. Human Resources Development is one of the key areas of cooperation between our two countries. Every year, a good number of Bangladeshi students including the government officials, pursue higher studies in Korean universities in various fields. Current development trajectories of the two countries and the emerging global situation render huge potential for deepening a mutually beneficial partnership between the two nations.   

 

We look forward to continuing our efforts to take our relationship to a new height and make it more meaningful to the people in both countries.