Bangladesh has sent fine quality rice (developed by Bangladeshi scientists named Banglamati), seasonal fruits and fresh vegetables to the United Arab Emirates by a cargo flight of Etihad Airlines as gifts, UNB reports.
The gifts were sent as a gesture of goodwill and fraternity between Bangladesh and the UAE, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday.
The gifts include Banglamati rice, fresh watermelon, pineapple, Okra, potato, pointed gourd, cucumber etc.
Bangladesh Rice Research Institute (BRRI) provided Banglamati rice and the Ministry of Agriculture arranged fresh vegetables under the guidance of Agriculture Minister Dr Abdur Razzaq.
Earlier, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen mentioned Bangladesh's remarkable progress in the agriculture sector with surplus food production during his meeting with Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the UAE, in January 2020.
On a separate occasion, UAE Investment Authority Chairman Sheikh Hamadbin Zayed Al Nahyan expressed his willingness to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to import rice from Bangladesh during his courtesy call in Abu Dhabi in January 2020.
The gifts were primarily sent from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to the President, the Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, the Foreign Minister, the Minister of Human Resources and the Minister of State for Food Security of the United Arab Emirates.
The government is trying to explore overseas markets for surplus agriculture products of Bangladesh, especially the seasonal fruits, fresh vegetables and meat.
The UAE authority has procured around 40 tonnes of fresh vegetables and meat and carried them aboard the same cargo flight.
This might be a good start of exporting quality rice, fruits, vegetables and meat to the UAE, said the MoFA.
