Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Tuesday called for opening a “new page” in the relations between Rome and Dhaka, saying Italians are friends of Bangladesh.
“Let’s try to open a new page in our relationship,” said the Italian prime minister when she met Chief Adviser (CA) Professor Muhammad Yunus on the sideline of the annual UN General Assembly at the UN headquarters, reports UNB
CA Prof Yunus gave a brief outline of the student-led mass uprising, which he said has created new opportunities in Bangladesh, pressing “the reset button” for the entire nation.
Meloni said Italy would support the interim government in its move to carry out vital reforms in key sectors.
“Absolutely, you can count on us,” she was quoted by the chief adviser’s press wing as saying.
The chief adviser urged the Italian leader to formalise migration from Bangladesh, paving the way for the entry of more Bangladeshi workers in Italy through the legal channels, which he said would cut risky illegal migration.
Meloni agreed, saying both nations should work together to stop irregular migration and conduct training for people planning to work in Italy.
Energy and Power adviser Fouzul Kabir Khan and senior secretary Lamiya Morshed and chief of protocol Khandaker Masudul Alam were present during the meeting.
The chief adviser also met with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the UN headquarters.
On the sidelines of the UNGA session, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva met him as well.
Prof Yunus also attended a High Level Side Event on the Rohingya Crisis at the UN headquarters in New York.
Later, he addressed a reception programme held at the UN headquarters here on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh’s membership in the United Nations.
Earlier in the day, Prof Yunus held a bilateral meeting with US President Joseph R Biden in New York, which was the first time in the history of Bangladesh that a US President met a head of the Bangladesh government on the sidelines of the UNGA.
