Today, February 2nd, Brussels has played host to the 3rd EU Indo-Pacific Ministerial Forum, chaired by High Representative Josep Borrell, and bringing together EU Foreign Ministers and their Indo-Pacific counterparts to discuss challenges & opportunities for shared prosperity, green transition & security.

Ahead of the meeting, on behalf of EU Today I was able to meet with Bangladesh Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr. Mohammed Hasan Mahmud.

Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr. Mohammed Hasan Mahmud, MP with EU HR/VP Josep Borrell during the 3rd EU Info-Pacific Ministerial Forum.

Foreign Minister Mahmud met with EU Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarčič

As the Minister is a noted environmentalist, and former Minister for environment and forests, I asked if he felt that his expertise would give him an edge in his current role?

One of the benefits of trading with the EU is that it offers Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) status to those partners who meet the highest standards in human rights, labour rights, and environmental governance.

Bangladesh already enjoys Everything But Arms (EBA), a preferential status, and is expected to be given GSP+ in the near future.

Foreign Minister Mahmud met with EU Commissioner for International Partnerships Jutta Urpilainen.

We discussed Bangladesh’s recent elections. Whilst the Council of the European Union was very complimentary about the recent elections, very positive with no criticisms whatsoever, there appears to be some elements in the press – maybe under some foreign influence – that are critical. I asked for the Minister’s thoughts on this.

Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh.

Sheikh Hasina had recently addressed the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels, where she made a big impact.

I myself, like many others present, was touched by the way she shared recollections about her father, the founder of Bangladesh Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, and her family being brutally murdered in a 1975 military coup.

Dr. Hasan Mahmud recounted an assassination attempt on Sheikh Hasina in 2004, in which he himself was a victim.

Click here for more articles on Bangladesh at EU Today

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