Two agreements concerning the Bangabandhu-2 satellite and the development of Bangladesh’s urban infrastructure were inked today in Dhaka and Paris.
At the Karobi Hall at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the instruments were signed and exchanged in front of Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and French President Emmanuel Macron.
The instruments are – Credit Facility Agreement between Economic Relations Division (ERD), Bangladesh and the France Development Agency (AFD), France on “Improving Urban Governance and Infrastructure Program” and Letter of Intent (LOI) on Cooperation between Bangladesh Satellite Company Limited (BSCL) and Airbus Defence and Space SAS, France related to Bangabandhu-2 Earth Observation Satellite System.
As the second document was signed by BSCL Chairman Dr. Shahjahan Mahmood and Stephane Vesval, Senior Vice President Sales and Marketing, Space Systems, Airbus, the first document was signed by ERD Secretary Sharifa Khan and Agence Française de Développement (AFD) Country Director Benoît Chassatte.
Bangabandhu Satellite-1, the nation’s first geostationary communications and television satellite, was created by the French firm Thales Alenia Space and launched on May 12, 2018.
Following a Tete-a-Tete, Sheikh Hasina and Emmanuel Macron had a private meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in the city.
Prior to that, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina welcomed Macron with a bouquet of flowers as he arrived at the PMO.
A picture shoot was also held before to the bilateral meeting. They afterwards held a joint press conference. Macron signed the visitor’s log in the PMO before leaving.
He laid a wreath at the image of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman earlier in the day and then went to the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi-32 in the city.
The former president Mitterrand visited Bangladesh from February 20–24, 1990, hence this is Macron’s first trip there and the second by a French president.
Since early 1990, the two countries’ trade relations have advanced significantly.
France is now the fifth-largest exporter to Bangladesh, and the value of all trade between the two countries has increased from €210 million to €4.9 billion.
French businesses are presently active in a number of industries, including engineering, energy, aerospace, and water.
In November 2021, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina traveled to France at Emmanuel Macron’s invitation.
After attending the G-20 Summit in New Delhi, India, Macron traveled to Bangladesh for a two-day official visit.
When Macron arrived at the airport on Sunday at 8.10 p.m., the prime minister greeted him with a flower arrangement and played the national anthems of both nations.
He received a guard of honor and a 21-gun salute from the military. Macron also examined the honor guard.
Macron traveled from the airport to the Hotel InterContinental, where he subsequently attended a state banquet given by the prime of Bangladesh in his honor.
Later, the French president visited Dhanmondi Lake to take in a music performance by the local band Joler Gaan.
Dr. Hasan Mahmud, the Minister of Information & Broadcasting, was present.
This afternoon, the French President is due to depart from Dhaka.
