Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday reiterated that the country’s constitution has been upheld and the democratic process maintained
with its 10th general election held on January 5 last. Sheikh Hasina said this when newly-appointed Norwegian Ambassador to Bangladesh Merete Lundemo met her at her office. PM’s Press Secretary Abul
Kalam Azad briefed reporters after the meeting. He said the Prime Minister stressed the need for maintaining peace in the country saying
that desired development is not possible for any country without peace. She requested the Norwegian government to provide assistance
for Bangladesh’s capacity building, removing supply constraints and diversifying its export base. Hasina urged Norway to import IT
products from and tap the opportunity of low-cost outsourcing of IT and ITES in Bangladesh mentioning that the export of IT products from
Bangladesh and its identity as an outsourcing nation have been growing at a fast pace. The Prime Minister also sought Norwegian technical
assistance and investment in Bangladesh’s potential shipbuilding sector, especially the ship-recycling centre. She requested the
Norwegian entrepreneurs to invest in Bangladesh in a bigger way, particularly in the fields of IT, power, oil, gas and mineral
exploration, tourism, infrastructure, telecom, leather and leather goods, frozen foods, textile and electronics. “Bangladesh offers
best investment incentives in the subcontinent and one of the best in Asia, and I hope that the Norwegian businesspeople would take
advantage,” she said. She also sought special NORAD support for developing and expanding fisheries sector with Norwegian technology,
projects and ventures in breeding and fingerling development and fish health development. Pointing out Norway’s present development aid
focuses on climate change and renewable energy, Sheikh Hasina requested the Norwegian government to provide support to these
priority areas. She stressed the need for technology transfer, capacity building and training and courses. The PM’s press secretary
said the Norwegian Ambassador condemned the terrorism and violence unleashed by BNP and Jamaat-Shibir in the last couple of months, and
said it must be stopped for the sake of development. Lundemo highly praised the tremendous success of Bangladesh in different fields,
including agriculture, education, health, women empowerment and power under the leadership of Sheikh Hasina. – UNB
