DHAKA: Sir Jim Bolger, Special Envoy to the Prime Minister, on Sunday said the New Zealand government would continue its support to guide their continued efforts to know each other better and forge stronger bilateral relations based on cooperation in different areas.

The special envoy came up with the assertion during a meeting with Bangladesh Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali MP at his office in the city in the noon.

“The support that the Government and people of New Zealand extended to the people of Bangladesh during the 1971 Liberation War should continue to guide our continued efforts to know each other better and forge stronger bilateral relations based on cooperation in different areas,” he said.

Sir Bolger is currently on a four-day visit to Bangladesh to deliver a letter from New Zealand Prime Minister Mr. John Key to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He is also on a mission to explore potential areas of bilateral cooperation through consultations with a cross-section of actors.

During his meeting, Sir Bolger sought Bangladesh’s support for New Zealand’s candidature to the UN Security Council for the 2015-16 tenure.

The Bangladesh Foreign Minister expressed satisfaction at the close working relations between Bangladesh and New Zealand in the UN and other international organisations.

The Bangladesh Foreign Minister urged New Zealand to address the trade gap between the two countries in favour of the latter by exporting more quality products from Bangladesh.

He thanked New Zealand for recently placing an order for procuring an ocean-going vessel from Bangladesh, and hoped that New Zealand would continue to place more such orders to gain from Bangladesh’s competitive advantage in the sector. The Foreign Minister also suggested greater export of ceramic goods, footwear and artisan products from Bangladesh. He stressed the need for further exploring potential demands in the New Zealand market for additional Bangladeshi products.

The New Zealand Special envoy also showed interest in learning about Bangladesh’s views on regional cooperation in South Asia and the Commonwealth, among other issues. Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque was present during the meeting.

BDST: 1805 HRS, MAR 23, 2014