Dhaka, November 2 (Dhaka Tribune): Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen handed over a few boxes of medicine as a token to Ruwanthi Delpitiya, the acting high commissioner of Sri Lanka at an event held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Thursday.
This donation has been made in a spirit of friendship and good neighborly relations as envisioned by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the foreign ministry said.
The event was also attended by Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, and high officials of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Essential Drugs Company Limited (EDCL) and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Dr Momen, in his short remarks, termed the offer of medicine, as the expression of solidarity and friendship between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
He added that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina always tries to assist any nation in difficulties in particular in neighbour.
He stated that “the cornerstone of our gesture is genuine goodwill and friendship.”
Dr Momen assured that Bangladesh stands ready to support Sri Lanka in all possible ways. He expressed satisfaction with the way Sri Lanka has recovered from the economic crisis last year.
The acting high commissioner expressed her sincere gratitude to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and the government of Bangladesh for their support in supplying the much-needed medicine for the people of Sri Lanka.
She mentioned that the medical assistance to Sri Lankan people is a testimony to the strong and long-standing friendship between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
She appreciated that Bangladesh donated medical supplies to Sri Lanka last year at a time when Sri Lanka was in the midst of an economic downturn which was a great help for the people of Sri Lanka.
The supply of much-needed medicine would certainly manifest the capability of the pharmaceutical industry in terms of its ability to produce high-quality medicine.
The medicines also demonstrate Bangladesh’s foreign policy resolve to maintain friendly and cooperative relations with her neighbors.
Earlier, Bangladesh supported Sri Lanka by providing medicine worth nearly Tk20 crore in May 2022.
Bangladesh also donated medicine and other relief materials to Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, Turkey and Palestine in recent months.
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