Bangladesh-Bhutan Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) signing ceremony Speech by Sheikh Hasina Hon’ble Prime Minister Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh Sunday, 21 Agrahayan 1427, 06 December 2020 Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim Your Excellency, Dr Lotay Tshering, Prime Minister Royal Government of Bhutan. Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and. Gentlemen, It’s my great pleasure to extend a warm greeting from Bangladesh to you Mr. Prime Minister and to all members of your delegation. It is a historic moment for Bangladesh today as we are signing our first ever Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with any country in the world. And it is also the first country that recognized Bangladesh as a sovereign and an independent country in 1971. On this our special occasion I pay deep homage to the greatest Bengali of all time Father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. I also remember our 4 national leaders, 30 lakh martyrs of our liberation war and 2 lakh women who were violated. We are going to celebrate Bangladesh-Bhutan relation as we mark the 50 years of Bhutan’s recognition of independent Bangladesh on this day in 1971. The occasion is further placed as this is the year we are celebrating the birth centenary of our Father of the nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the special 48th birth anniversary of his Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. Indeed the king of Bhutan has a special position in the hearts of Bengali and a permanent place in the history of Bangladesh. The unwavering support of His Majesty the Third King and the people of Bhutan to our War of Liberation in 1971 and your country's recognition of the blood- soaked independent Bangladesh, evokes powerful emotions in our hearts even today. I personally want to tell you a story. That day you know during our liberation war Pakistani Army arrested my father and took him to Pakistan. But in Bangladesh Pakistani army arrested my mother, my younger sister Rehana, my younger brother Rasel, Jamal and myself. That very day Jamal, Kamal escaped from the captivity and joined freedom fighting. But my mother, my younger sister Rehana, Rasel, myself and my three months old son Sajeeb Wazed Joy, we were in captivity. The day we heard that Bhutan recognized Bangladesh. It was something the feeling I cannot explain. It is very difficult to you know get words just so stimulating, it is so encouraging, it is so joyful because that time we were just sitting on the floor. Because we have nothing in the house that day when we were kept captive in the one room of the one storey buildings but that day we forgot all our sorrow and pain. We started laughing, shouting and crying. That day I cannot forget. So, it was something after long time we suffered in captivity. But that day we forgot all suffering. And that’s why not only our Bangladeshi people but for us for our family member now you know my family members except my sister everybody was assassinated in 1975. But now Joy, Rehena and myself only we three survivor. So it is very very auspicious day, very important day to us, to my family. So, Bhutan has very special place in our heart. I can tell you that much. 1 Excellencies ladies and gentlemen, Bangladesh and Bhutan we have historical linkage, we have ancient linkages, common cultural values, traditions, geo-political realities. Today, the areas of our cooperation are many, including trade, tourism, hydro-power, climate change impacts, health, bio-diversity, agro-processing, agriculture, ICT, education, water resource management and much more. We have many other ways we can cooperate and we are always ready to do it. Bhutan can use the water ways. Our water ways link already has started. We're developing our Chilmari port. Chilmari port, Narayanganj and Pangaon is open to you. Not only that, our three ports Chittagong, Mongla, Payra, any place Bhutan want you can use it, I am offering you do that. Our airport Sayedpur it is also we are developing as a regional airport. So, for Bhutan it is open. If you wish you can use that airport too. On the rail Chilahati we're opening so that also gives another opportunity. Excellencies, It is time that we make our extraordinary relations even more meaningful for mutual benefits and for the overall development and well-being of our citizens. It is in this spirit that we have signed today the Bangladesh-Bhutan PTA. Under this Agreement, a wide range of products from Bangladesh and Bhutan can find duty-free entry into each other’s markets. The agreement also has provision for including an additional list of products through mutual consensus. Once the agreement comes into force I believe more people in Bangladesh I can see some very fresh apple and orange on your table. So, I believe that our people will get the access to have good apple and orange from Bhutan and other fruits and other vegetables and other thing. And also from Bangladesh the fashion conscious people Bhutan can choose from more varieties of quality apparels from Bangladesh. Infrastructure projects in Bangladesh can further benefit from boulder stones from Bhutan, while Bangladeshi pharmaceuticals can enhance contribution to the health sector in Bhutan. We have observed with great admiration the transformation Bhutan has undergone under the visionary guidance of the Fourth King, his Majesty Jigme Singye Wangchuck. It is today democratic, modern and progressive country. His concept of ‘Gross National Happiness’ has won the admiration of the world. His able and wise son and successor, his Majesty the King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, the Fifth King, has wisely continued with his father's policies in leading Bhutan. I congratulate his Majesty. In Bangladesh, our aim is similar and that is to strengthen democracy, achieve economic growth and make our citizen happy individuals of a hunger-poverty-free developed-prosperous country as dreamt by our Father of the Nation Banghabandhu Sheikh Mujib. Today, our democratic institutions are stronger and our economy is on a sound footing. The rule of law and human rights are well established, and we strictly follow a zero-tolerance policy against all forms of terrorism and extremism. Our Vision 2021 and Vision 2041 are guided by the dream of Golden Bangladesh as envisioned by the Father of the Nation Banghabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Already significant progresses have been made on food and energy security, education, poverty alleviation, empowerment of women, social welfare, and development with sustained economic growth. As we endeavor to reach our goals, we want valuable cooperation of our friends and neighbors to strengthen our government's initiatives, including regional connectivity designed to make all of us in the region prosperous. The Covid-19 pandemic has opened our eyes to the new realities that we must consider while we strive to move forward. The world is countering new and deeper fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic on countries and communities across the globe. The evolving pandemic has propagated 2 beyond a health crisis into a growing threat on socio-economic systems and livelihoods. To counter the impact of this unknown enemy, Bangladesh has shared excellent cooperation with Bhutan and other South Asian neighbors and beyond. Stronger regional and international cooperation is necessary in the coming days for mitigating the impact of the pandemic and for the rebuilding phase. I conclude with my heartfelt wish that The Preferential Trade Agreement which both sides have signed today will contribute to for the consolidating the relations between our two countries. The next 50 years will witness sustained development and happiness of citizens of our region. I wish your Excellency, good health, long life and continued success in all your endeavors and peace-progress and prosperity for the people of Bhutan. Thank you. Khoda Hafez. Joi Bangla, Joi Bangabandhu. May Bangladesh live forever. Long live Bangladesh-Bhutan friendship. Thank you all. ... 3 .