Austrian companies keen to invest in Bangladesh: envoy

Austrian companies are keen to invest in Bangladesh as the Western European nation seeks to cement economic ties with Bangladesh, non-resident ambassador of Austria Katharina Wieser said today. Wieser, who is based in New Delhi but serves as the envoy to Bangladesh, made the comments when she called on Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at his office at Tejgaon here.

Ambassador Wieser said her government would support the country's interim government in its move to carry out sweeping reforms in the country. The Chief Adviser said the country would decide on vote date once reforms are implemented and the voter list is prepared.

The ambassador said several Austrian companies were interested in investing in Bangladesh, including a company that wanted to set up a technical school on the outskirts of Dhaka. But they needed some cooperation from Bangladesh authorities to secure soft loans from Austrian financial institutions, she said. Professor Yunus instantly asked officials to look into the issue with the concerned Ministry.

Bangladesh's counterterrorism measures, cross-border issues, human trafficking, legal migration, climate change, reforms in Bangladesh police, and the country's law and order situation also featured in the talks. Ambassador Wieser said Austria has a long-term policy to promote legal migration, and Bangladeshis are the sixth largest migrant community in the rich Western European nation.

Prof Yunus said Austria should take more Bangladeshis through the legal channels. It will cut human trafficking from Bangladesh, he added. Lamiya Morshed, senior secretary and the principal coordinator of SDG affairs, and Tasbirul Islam, honorary consul of Austria, were present during the meeting.