DHAKA, 14 September 2021, (TON): In an interview Humayun Kabir Bhuiyan, outgoing European Union Ambassador to Bangladesh Rensje Teerink discussed various issues, including trade, investment and the Rohingya.

As your tenure ends, how do you describe the current bilateral relationship between Bangladesh and the European Union? How could it be further enhanced?

My tenure here in an official capacity ends though my engagement with Bangladesh will continue. I will go back to Brussels to continue working on regional matters related to Asia.

I hope that Bangladesh will play a prominent role in the wider geopolitical agenda that the EU is embarking on with countries in the Indo-Pacific. In that sense, I think you could say I could be an ambassador for Bangladesh in Brussels.

The European Union has been a steadfast development partner of Bangladesh since 1973 and is proud to have been associated with this country’s socio-economic development.

In 2001, a cooperation agreement was signed which extends to trade, economic and development cooperation, human rights, good governance, and the environment. European bilateral development aid to Bangladesh for 2014-2020 amounts to €655,000,000.