Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina meets her Laotian counterpart Thongsing Thammavong at the latter's office in Vientiane of Laos yesterday. Photo: PID

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said Bangladesh wants to build a strong partnership with Laos and other Southeast Asian countries to face common challenges of globalisation, world economic meltdown and climate change.
"The developing Asian countries are experiencing common challenges of globalisation, world economic meltdown and climate change. My aim is, therefore, to build a strong partnership between Bangladesh and Laos as well as other countries in Southeast Asia to face these challenges," she said.
Sheikh Hasina said this while addressing a lunch hosted in her honour by Laotian Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong here.
The prime minister observed that Laos may possibly get benefit from Bangladesh's connectivity with India, Nepal, Bhutan and China, and the combined market of over three billion people.
"Moreover, Bangladesh's strategic location, connecting South Asia and Southeast Asia and having sea, air and land links could provide Laos access to the region," she said.
Hasina warmly invited Laotian entrepreneurs to come and consider possibilities of investment in Bangladesh.
She said the situation was ideal for Laotian businessmen to come and do business in Bangladesh.
She said, Laos could import quality pharmaceuticals now being exported to 93 countries, ceramics and porcelain now going to 61 destinations in Europe, Americas, Africa and Asia, readymade garments, textiles, leather and footwear.
The prime minister sought Laotian support for Bangladesh's entry into the Mekong-Ganges Cooperation Initiative, the East-West Economic Corridor, and in becoming an Asean Dialogue Partner.
Sheikh Hasina invited the Laotian prime minister and his wife to visit Bangladesh.