DAR ES SALAAM: PRESIDENT Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan on Monday pledged to take Tanzania-Bangladesh bilateral ties to greater heights.
President Samia made the promise as she congratulated Sheikh Hasina Wazed for being re-elected as the Prime Minister of the People's Republic of Bangladesh for a straight fourth term.
"On behalf of the government and the people of the United Republic of Tanzania, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to Her Excellency Sheikh Hasina Wazed, on being re-elected as the Prime Minister of the People's Republic of Bangladesh" Dr Samia wrote on her X handle (formerly Twitter).
"I am looking forward to taking Tanzania -Bangladesh bilateral ties to greater heights" she stated.
Mis Hasina (76) won a fourth straight term to serve five years period in power by sweeping Sunday's general election, which was boycotted by the main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) for the second time in the last three polls.
Ms Hasina's party won 200 seats in the 300-seat parliament while counting is still underway after the end of the day-long voting.
She is the daughter of the country's founding father Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who led Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan.
In November 2022 Tanzania agreed with Bangladesh to work in agriculture, blue economy and other economic sectors through establishing official contacts.
Tanzania expressed interest in knowing about the aquaculture, fisheries sectors, shipbuilding industry and horticultural sector of Bangladesh.
They also highlighted the importance of exchange of business delegations to develop their trade and economy.
The then Union-Minister of Livestock and Fisheries Mashimba Ndaki and Zanzibar Minister of Blue Economy and Fisheries Abdullah Hussein Kombo met Bangladesh's Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen at the State Guest House Padma in the country and discussed the ways of broadening the cooperation.
Both the ministers were visiting Dhaka for participating in the 21st Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Council of Ministers and related meetings.
Dr Momen said that under the visionary leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, Bangladesh had attained remarkable socio-economic development.
He also said that under the prudent leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh has been able to achieve tremendous success in agriculture and socio-economic areas.
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During the meeting, both sides agreed to cooperate in different sectors of agriculture, including fisheries, livestock and horticulture.
In 2021, Bangladesh exported 2.32 million US dollars to Tanzania. The main products exported from Bangladesh to Tanzania were Packing Bags (742,000 US dollars), Packaged Medicaments (736,000 US dollars ) and Electric Batteries (193,000 US dollars).
In the same year, Tanzania exported 10.1 million US dollars to Bangladesh. The main products exported from Tanzania to Bangladesh were Raw Cotton (4.41 million US dollars), Dried Legumes (3.19 million US dollars) and Bran (1.04 million US dollars).
During the last 26 years the exports of Bangladesh to Tanzania have increased at an annualised rate of 5.68 per cent, from 552,000 US dollars in 1995 to 2.32 million US dollars in 2021 while the exports of Tanzania to Bangladesh have increased at an annualised rate of 32 per cent , from 749000 US dollars in 1995 to 10.1 million US dollars in 2021.
