DHAKA: Thailand’s Minister for Social Development and Human Security Police General Adul Saengsingkaew on Monday expressed readiness to cooperate with Bangladesh in the areas of women empowerment, self-sufficiency and anti-trafficking.
He mentioned this during a call on him by the Bangladesh Ambassador to Thailand Saida Muna Tasneem in the morning at the Thai Ministry of Social Development and Human Security.
Embassy of Bangladesh in Bangkok issued a press release on regarding the meeting.
The Ambassador underscored that empowerment of women is a flagship agenda for the incumbent government of Bangladesh and highlighted the premier’s global credentials in this regard.
She also apprised the Thai Minister of the various initiatives and successes of Bangladesh Government in enhancing the participation of women in economic and political activities, promoting girls’ education, rights of the children, the disabled, elderly and other vulnerable populations as well as for prevention of human trafficking.
These issues were reinforced by the Ambassador during her meeting in the afternoon with the Permanent Secretary of the Thai Ministry of Social Development and Human Security where they discussed issues of bilateral and strategic interest.
In response to a proposal from the Ambassador for a delegation of Bangladeshi women entrepreneurs and government sponsored women handicraft manufacturers to visit Thailand, the Thai Minister welcomed such a visit as an excellent area of partnership to further bolster cooperation in the social sector between the two countries.
The Bangladesh Ambassador thanked the Minister for the Thai Government’s continued support and humanitarian assistance to the victims of trafficking from Bangladesh.
She briefed that the Bangladesh Embassy in Thailand will continue to remain actively engaged in quick repatriation of the Bangladeshi victims of trafficking, and informed that 769 trafficked victims have already been repatriated while another approximately 300 await repatriation.
Both sides reiterated the need for humane treatment of the victims of trafficking, especially those from Bangladesh to Thailand and discussed future areas of bilateral and regional cooperation to address this common challenge.
Mentioning that the prevention of human trafficking is part of their national agenda the Minister also said Thailand signed MoUs with its neighbouring countries on anti-trafficking and expressed the desire for similar cooperation with Bangladesh.
In response, the Ambassador proposed setting up of an institutional forum between the security and law enforcement agencies of the two governments for regular exchange of information and cooperation under the umbrella of the Foreign Office Consultations between the two countries.
BDST: 2201 HRS, APR 27, 2015
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