Australian PM thanks Sheikh Hasina for her greetings

Publish: 2:14 PM, September 13, 2018 | Update: 2:14 PM, September 13, 2018

DHAKA – Scott John Morrison has thanked Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her greetings on his (Morrison’s) appointment as the Prime Minister of Australia.

In a letter signed on September 1, the newly elected Australian Prime Minister said he is pleased to note the strength and breadth of the relationships between the two countries.

“I look forward to working with you (Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina) to strengthen the bilateral relationship,” he said.

Morison said the 49,000 people of Bangladeshi descent in Australia make a highly valued contribution to the Australian society.

“Our two-way trading relationships grew by more than 11 percent last year and we cooperate closely in counter-terrorism and tackling other transnational crimes,” he observed.

The Australian PM acknowledged Bangladesh’s leadership in response to the Rohingya crisis.

He noted that Australia has committed $70 million humanitarian relief, most of which has been directed to provide food, shelter and other essential services to those displaced people.

On August 27, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina congratulated Australia’s newly elected Prime Minister Scott Morrison on his assumption of office and wished his successful tenure.

Scott Morrison was sworn in as the 30th Prime Minister of Australia on August 24.