DHAKA: The new Ambassador of Bangladesh, Sheikh Mohammed Belal, presented his credentials to King Willem-Alexander in The Hague on March 12.

The Ambassador, his wife Dr. Dilruba Nasrin and Counsellor Ishrat Jahan, were carried in the traditional horse-drawn carriages to the Paleis Noordeinde, where the new Ambassador inspected a guard of honour.

During the ceremony, King Willem-Alexander and Ambassador Belal discussed issues of bilateral relations between the two countries.

King Willem-Alexander of the Kingdom of the Netherlands mentioned his visit to Bangladesh in the past and described Bangladesh’s socio economic development as highly “impressive”.

The King went on to state that Netherlands also learned a few lessons from Bangladesh in terms of management of flood and post flood rehabilitations and hoped that Bangladesh is on course to be a middle income country in the not too distant future.

The King also expressed his satisfaction at the Bangladesh’s achievements in terms of meeting Millennium Development Goals and hoped that Bangladesh will continue its lead in the coming post-MDG milieu as well.

Ambassador Belal on his part thanked the Kingdom of the Netherlands for the fruitful cooperation in the socio-economic development and informed the King of the existing robust investment opportunities and the sound policies that are geared to develop and support a strong private sector.


Bangladesh and the Netherlands enjoy extensive bilateral relations demonstrated in continuous and growing socio-economic engagements.

Minister for Foreign Affairs for the Netherlands H.E. Frans Timmermans and Grand Master of the Royal Household Mr. Marco Hennis were also present during the ceremony.

BDST: 1042 HRS, MAR 14, 2014