Staff Correspondent

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is working hard to successfully transform Bangladesh into an upper middle-income country by 2031 and a knowledge-based developed country - a Smart Bangladesh by 2041, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam has said.

"We believe our friends and partners will continue to support us in this endeavour," he said while speaking as the chief guest at a reception at the Franco-German Embassy marking the 33rd German Unity Day on Thursday evening.

Chargé d'Affaires at the German Embassy in Dhaka Jan-Rolf Janowski also spoke at the reception.

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Bangladesh is now the 35thlargest economy in the world.

"We aspire to become a trillion-dollar economy by 2040, be among the top 20," said the state minister.

During Bangladesh’s Presidency of the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF), it decided to turn vulnerability into a tool for resilience and sustainability.

"We have prepared the Mujib Climate Prosperity Plan as a blueprint for green transition of our economy and energy sector," Shahriar said.

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He said they want Germany to be a partner in this journey, particularly on green transition of the economy through greener industrial transformation by cooperating in sectors like technology, energy, transportation, urban development, infrastructure, and waste management.

Shahriar said Bangladesh attaches great importance to her friendly relations with Germany.

In recent years, the bilateral relations have grown from strength to strength, he said.

PM Hasina visited Germany in 2017 and 2019.

Bangladesh and Germany also enjoy an excellent trade and investment partnership, said Shahriar, adding that Germany is the largest trading partner of Bangladesh in Europe and the second largest globally.

'Our sustained economic growth coupled with the fastest-growing consumer market in the world along with Bangladesh’s strategic location between South and Southeast Asian regions with the potential to become a trading hub for 3 billion consumers, offers opportunities for robust bilateral trade between our two countries and German investment into Bangladesh," he said.

Bangladesh is moving forward with spectacular socio-economic development and transformational infrastructure, thanks to continued democracy and resilience of our people under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, said the state minister.

"Despite all our efforts, even after six years, not a single Rohingya has returned to their homeland. Myanmar authorities have not created a conducive environment for the safe and sustainable return of these people," he said.

He thanked the German Government for its humanitarian support to the forcibly displaced Rohingyas, temporarily sheltered in Bangladesh, and for lending support at various international fora towards resolving the Rohingya crisis.

Diplomats, business leaders and journalists, among others, were present.