<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said Bangladesh has attached priority to enhance further the bilateral and trade relations with African nations.</span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She made the statement while holding bilateral meetings with heads of the state of four countries including three from Africa on the sidelines of the 15th BRICS Summit here.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We want to boost the bilateral and trade relations with the African nations for mutual benefits,” She said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen briefed reporters.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sheikh Hasina also sought investments in various sectors from the countries for mutual benefits.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The bilateral meetings between Sheikh Hasina and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, President of Mozambique Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, President of Tanzania Dr Saima Sulluhu and Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi were held at Sandton Convention Centre on Wednesday.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">A meeting was also held between Bangladesh premier and President of the New Development Bank Dilma Vana Rousseff at the same venue.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">During the meetings, The Foreign Minister said, the five dignitaries highly praised Bangladesh’s remarkable development under Sheikh Hasina’s prudent leadership.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva assured Bangladesh to give all sorts of cooperation and invited the Bangladesh Premier to visit Brazil at the convenient time.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said after bilateral talks with Sheikh Hasina, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has expressed his desire to visit Bangladesh again to see in person the massive development of Bangladesh citing that he had earlier visited Jessore in Bangladesh30 years back when the country was very poor.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I want to visit Bangladesh to see the massive development you have done,” she said.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">During the bilateral meeting with President of Mozambique Filipe Jacinto Nyusi, Bangladesh Premier has sought investment from Mozambique on a larger scale particularly in pharmaceuticals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">President of the New Development Bank Dilma Vana Rousseff has expressed her organisation’s eagerness to provide assistance to Bangladesh particularly in the projects regarding women empowerment, saying that the bank has already sanctioned 700 million US dollars in two development schemes in Bangladesh.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">“I can assure you Bangladesh will get top priority from the New Development Bank as long as I am the President of the bank,” she said.&nbsp; &nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">The prime minister arrived in Johannesburg to attend the 15th BRICS Summit on August 22 at the invitation of the Current Chair of BRICS and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the sidelines of the BRICS Plus Dialogue, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo earlier exchanged pleasantries with the Bangladesh premier.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres, Vice-President of Uganda, Deputy Prime Minister of South Africa, Russian Foreign Minister, Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia also exchanged pleasantries with Sheikh Hasina.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The premier also joined a photo session with the heads of state and government who arrived in Johannesburg to attend the 15th BRICS Summit.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM's Speechwriter Md Nazrul Islam was present during the briefing. UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>