<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>Dhaka-The Assembly of the Republic (Parliament) of Portugal has formed its very first 10-member Parliamentary Group for Portugal-Bangladesh Friendship.</b></span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Vice-President of the Assembly of the Republic (Deputy Speaker of Parliament) Dr. Adão Silva officially confirmed this to Bangladesh Portuguese Parliament creates first-ever friendship group for Bangladesh</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ambassador Tarik Ahsan in Lisbon, the Bangladesh Mission said in a release on Friday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Recently, Bangladesh had been included in the updated list of Parliamentary Friendship Groups for the (current) 15th Parliament of Portugal, along with 58 other countries including two others from South Asia, it said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The said Group would be presided over by Deputy Speaker of Portuguese Parliament Dr. Adão Silva from centre-right Social Democratic Party (PSD).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Parliamentary Groups for Friendship of Portugal are mandated to engage in dialogue and cooperation with the parliaments of countries that are friends of Portugal. They are responsible for promoting the actions needed to intensify relations with the parliaments and parliamentarians of other states, particularly regarding the exchange of knowledge and experiences, the exchange of information and mutual consultations, and the publicizing and promotion of common interests in the political, economic, social and cultural fields.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">This is the fruition of an idea of Parliamentary cooperation that was floated during a meeting between Bangladesh State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md. Shahariar Alam, MP and Deputy Speaker Dr. Adão Silva held in Lisbon in May 2022.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Formation of this Group is undoubtedly a friendly gesture of the people of Portugal toward Bangladesh and it will strengthen the ties of friendship between the two countries. UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>