Dhaka: Ambassador of Bangladesh to Thailand with concurrent accreditation to Cambodia, Saida Muna Tasneem, presented her credentials to HM King Norodom Sihamoni of Cambodia at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh amid all ceremonials and honours.

At an official ceremony with a full Guard of Honour organised by the government of Cambodia, Ambassador Tasneem presented her Letter of Credence accredited by the President of Bangladesh to HM King of Cambodia.

Senior Minister for the King's Palace, Deputy Prime Minister of Cambodia and Chief of Protocol and high officials were present at the credential ceremony.

Later, in a Royal Audience Bangladesh Ambassador conveyed to King Sihamoni, son of late King Norodom Sihanouk, the greetings and good wishes of President Md. Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh.  

Highlighting the excellent political fraternity that have traditionally existed between the two countries, Bangladesh Ambassador recalled the first ever visit of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen to Bangladesh in June 2014 and pledged to further deepen during her tenure the political, trade, economic and cultural relations, as well as people-to-people contacts between the two nations.  

Ambassador Tasneem briefed the Cambodian King of the growth, development and technology oriented policies being pursued by Prime Minister Shekh Hasina's government to realise Vision 2021.

She also underlined the importance of strengthening the common Buddhist heritage shared by the two countries including increasing Buddhist circuit tourism between Buddhist devotees.  

In this context, she extended an invitation to the Cambodian King, a devout Buddhist and a humanitarian enjoying widespread popularity among his people, to consider paying a visit to Bangladesh's early millennium Buddhist monasteries, declared as UNESCO World Heritage Site.  

Minister stressed the importance of early holding the first Joint Commission between the two countries to be led by the two Foreign Ministers and recalled the invitation of Prime Mister Hun Sen to Hon'ble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during the former's visit to Bangladesh in June 2014.  

Bangladesh Ambassador assured the Cambodian Acting Foreign Minister that she would follow-up on both issues that would cement political relations between Bangladesh and the important ASEAN country.  

Later Ambassador Tasneem also called on Commerce Minister of Cambodia Sun Chanthol and discussed ways and means to enhance bilateral trade and investment between Bangladesh and Cambodia.  

Her proposal for exporting jute bags, textiles, pharmaceuticals and ceramicware to Cambodia was well received by the Cambodian Commerce Minister.  

It was also agreed that commerce ministers of the two countries could find mutually convenient dates for the first Joint Trade Committee between the two countries.  

The Cambodian commerce minister recalled his recent visit to Bangladesh and assured the Bangladesh Ambassador of full cooperation from his Ministry in enhancing volume of trade between the two countries.   

Ambassador Tasneem also called on the Secretary General of the Federation of Cambodian Chamber of Commerce Nguon Mengtech and stressed the importance of creating joint chambers between private sectors and businessmen of the two countries to expedite understanding of each others' trade and investment potentials.

While in Cambodia Bangladesh Ambassador also attended a reception organised by the Bangladesh expatriate community in Cambodia where she exchanged views on how to enhance consular and welfare services for the expatriate Bangladeshis working in various international organisations, multinational companies and private businesses in Cambodia.  

She thanked the Diaspora for upholding the image of Bangladesh to the Cambodian people and government and briefed them of various opportunities created by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government.