"Bangladesh wants to be close to Nepal": President of Nepal-Bangladesh Friendship Association

The Nepal-Bangladesh Friendship Association (NBFA) has suggested strengthening other relations alongside diplomatic ones with Bangladesh.

The Association has expressed the hope that there could be progresses in the area of education, health, agriculture and trade of Nepal by consolidating diplomatic relations with Bangladesh.

NBFA's President Dindaya Rijal said, "Bangladesh wants to be close to Nepal and wants to first establish relations with it. Nepal should also understand this spirit of Bangladesh."

He stressed the need for opening the Fulbari transit between Nepal, India and Bangladesh, which would help Nepal's access to sea. It takes around three and a half hours on a vehicle to reach Kakadvitta-Budhimari border with India from Bhadrapur.

But it takes only half an hour to reach Fulbari border with India from Bhadrapur. Nepal could export fruits and goods like apple, orange, pear, peach, cardamom, broom grass, cinnamon, cement and sand and pebbles to meet increasing demand for these fruits and materials in Bangladesh, he said.

"Bangladesh's products like medicines and clothing are exported to almost all countries around the world. We, Nepalis, could learn skills from them to make these things," he said.

Bangladesh's medical education is also considered to be a good one.

Rijal demanded resumption of Dhaka-Kathmandu-Dhaka bus service, which came to a half after operation for only one day earlier some years ago.

Bangladeshi people love their culture and language and take interest in observing festivals and prefer using and wearing home-made products. Nepal could learn this kind of behaviours of Bangladeshi people, he said, adding that there should be an exchange of literature, arts and culture between Nepal and Bangladesh. "Bangladeshi people get fun from observing and viewing mountains and hills of Nepal. They love Nepal so much and are inclined towards its natural beauty. They regard Nepal as a haven. So, Nepal's government should bring special programmes to attract Bangladeshi people."

Bangladesh's President Mohammad Abdul Hamid is here on his four days visit to Nepal at the invitation of his Nepal's counterpart Bidya Devi Bhandari. He arrived here on November 12. Bangladesh is a SAARC and BIMSTEC member. As part of his visit, President Hamid visited and observed arts, culture and archeological objects at Bharatpur Durbar Square on November 12. He is also scheduled to visit Pokhara and Rupakot on Thursday and the Chandragiri Hill in Kathmandu on Friday.