Embassy of Sweden, Dhaka

Last updated
Embassy of Sweden, Dhaka
Coat of arms of Sweden.svg
Embassy of Sweden, Dhaka
Location Dhaka
AddressBay's Edgewater, 6th Floor
Gulshan 2
Dhaka 1212
Bangladesh
Coordinates 23°47′46″N90°25′04″E / 23.7960°N 90.4178°E / 23.7960; 90.4178
Opened1975
Ambassador Nicolas Weeks
Website Official website

The Embassy of Sweden in Dhaka is Sweden's diplomatic mission in Bangladesh. It is located in the Gulshan area of the capital. [1] Along with Swedish visas, the embassy represents Schengen visas for Belgium, Finland, Iceland, Latvia, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Poland and Slovenia.

Contents

History

Bangladesh declared independence in 1971 and Sweden, with its recognition in February 1972, was one of the first countries to recognize the newly formed Bangladesh. [2] The Swedish representation in Bangladesh was initially subordinated to the Swedish embassy in New Delhi. [3] The Swedish embassy in Dhaka was opened in 1975. In January 1977 it was reported that the Swedish mission in Dhaka becomes an independent embassy. [4] Arne Lellki, deputy director at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs, became ambassador at the new embassy on 1 July 1977. [5]

In August 1994, it was reported that the Swedish embassy had received enhanced protection after approximately 500 Muslim students from the Bangladesh Islami Chattra Sena demonstrated. This protest occurred because the author Taslima Nasrin was allowed to leave Bangladesh and travel to Sweden instead of facing legal action for alleged blasphemy. [6]

The current Swedish ambassador to Bangladesh is Alexandra Berg von Linde. [7]

Staff and tasks

Staff

As of March 2024, around 30 people (Swedish and local employees) worked in the following sections: [8]

Tasks

The embassy represents Swedish interests in Bangladesh and works to promote bilateral relations between the two countries. Areas of cooperation include trade, development assistance, climate change and environmental issues, migration policy, refugee mitigation and housing, and cultural exchanges. [9] [10] [11] [12]

Activities and programs

Major areas of development cooperation by Sweden in Bangladesh focus on democracy, human rights, gender equality, health and education sectors. Swedish assistance also goes to programs supporting adaption to climate change effects, [13] disaster risk reduction and renewable energy in Bangladesh. [14] Trade between the two countries consists mainly of Bangladesh's exports of readymade garments to Sweden and Sweden's exports of telecom equipment, machinery and mechanical appliances to Bangladesh. [15] The embassy provides consular services to Swedish citizens visiting or residing in Bangladesh. It also processes visa applications for Bangladeshi nationals traveling to Sweden.

Related Research Articles

Embassy of Sweden in Bangkok is Sweden's diplomatic mission in Thailand. The ambassador is also accredited to Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. Sweden also has four honorary consulates in Thailand: in Phuket, Pattaya, Chiang Mai and Hua Hin.

The Embassy of Sweden in Rome is Sweden's diplomatic mission in Italy. The Swedish embassy in Rome dates back to the 1450s and is thus the oldest in the world. Birger Månsson was sent to Rome because the Swedish government wanted to improve the relationship with the Pope. Today, the embassy is also a representation at the UN agencies in Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). The ambassador has a dual accreditation in San Marino.

The Embassy of Sweden in Mexico City is Sweden's diplomatic mission in Mexico. The mission of the embassy is to represent Swedish interests in Mexico, as well as to strengthen bilateral relations within the governmental, commercial, business, academic, cultural and civil society spheres, with a particular emphasis on cooperation for sustainable development.

The Embassy of Sweden in Athens, is Sweden's diplomatic mission in Greece. The mission opened in 1945 and was elevated to an embassy in 1956. Sweden also has five honorary consulates in Chania, Heraklion, Corfu, Rhodes, and in Thessaloniki

The Embassy of Sweden in Copenhagen is Sweden's diplomatic mission in Denmark. It's located on Amaliegade 5A, close to Amalienborg. The embassy is tasked with representing Sweden and the Swedish government in Denmark and promoting Sweden's interests.

The Embassy of Sweden in Baghdad is Sweden's diplomatic mission in Iraq. The mission consists of an embassy, a number of Swedes from the Ministry for Foreign Affairs and local staff. Ambassador since 2022 is Jessica Svärdström.

The Embassy of Sweden in New Delhi is Sweden's diplomatic mission in India. The embassy is headed by the ambassador of Sweden to India. The embassy is situated in Chanakyapuri, the diplomatic enclave of New Delhi, where most of the embassies in India are located. The Swedish embassy is responsible for the honorary consulates in India, located in Kolkata and Chennai, and the Swedish consulate general in Mumbai. The ambassador of New Delhi is also accredited to Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan and Maldives.

The Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang is Sweden's diplomatic mission in North Korea, which is located in the country's capital Pyongyang. The Swedish Embassy was one of the first embassies in North Korea, opening in 1975. The ambassador since July 2021 is Andreas Bengtsson. Until 2001, Sweden was the only Western country with uninterrupted diplomatic representation in the city. The Swedish embassy serves as the protecting power for the United States and as consular representation for Australia, Canada, Italy, Latvia, Iceland and Finland.

The Embassy of Sweden in Algiers is Sweden's diplomatic mission in Algeria. The first Swedish ambassador was accredited to Algiers in 1963. The ambassador since 2021 is Björn Häggmark.

The Embassy of Sweden in Luanda was Sweden's diplomatic mission in Angola. The first Swedish ambassador was accredited to Luanda in 1976. The ambassador was also accredited to São Tomé. The embassy mainly focused on Sweden and trade promotion activities. The embassy closed in November 2022 following a decision by Sweden's government. The Swedish ambassador is from 1 December 2022 based in Stockholm, Sweden.

The Embassy of Sweden in Canberra is Sweden's diplomatic mission in Australia. The embassy opened in 1947 and has been located in Canberra since 1951. The ambassador since 2022 is Pontus Melander.

The Embassy of Sweden in Tokyo is Sweden's diplomatic mission in Japan. The mission was opened in 1906. It's located in the Roppongi district in Minato, Tokyo since 1959. The current embassy building was inaugurated in 1991. The ambassador since 2024 is Viktoria Li. The ambassador has a dual accreditation to Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia and Palau.

The Embassy of Sweden in Pretoria is Sweden's diplomatic mission in South Africa. The Swedish embassy in South Africa represents the Swedish government in South Africa, Botswana, Namibia and Lesotho. The embassy is located in the suburb of Hatfield in the capital of Pretoria. The ambassador since 2020 is Håkan Juholt.

The Embassy of Sweden in Dublin is Sweden's diplomatic mission in Ireland. When Ireland became independent, Sweden was one of the countries that early established diplomatic relations with Ireland. The embassy has its origins in the legation that was opened in 1946, which in turn has its origins in the Swedish consulate that was opened in 1926. The embassy closed in 2010 and reopened in 2023.

The Embassy of Sweden in Beijing is Sweden's diplomatic mission in China. The embassy's task is to represent Sweden, the Swedish government in China and to promote Swedish interests. Trade promotion and development cooperation are other tasks for the embassy, as well as press and culture issues and migration and consular services. The embassy's sphere of responsibility includes Mongolia. The ambassador has a dual accreditation to Ulaanbaatar.

The Embassy of Sweden, Brussels was the diplomatic mission of Sweden in Brussels between 1837 and 2011. The mission was elevated from legation to embassy in 1956. The embassy in Brussels had a bilateral role, focusing on enhancing Sweden's relations with Belgium. It housed a consular section offering services to Swedish citizens and individuals with Swedish connections. Additionally, the embassy hosted the Swedish Trade Council's office as its trade section. The ambassador's responsibilities included maintaining continuous dialogue with the Belgian government, especially regarding EU affairs, and fostering economic and cultural ties between Belgium and Sweden. Since 2011, a Stockholm-based ambassador has been responsible for the bilateral relations between Sweden and Belgium. In 2020, Sweden opened a consulate general in Brussels with a focus on consular activities.

The Embassy of Sweden, Bamako was the diplomatic mission of Sweden in Mali. Sweden's diplomatic engagement with Mali began in 1964, with the first ambassador accredited from the embassy in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. After the Abidjan embassy closed in 1967, responsibility for Mali shifted to the Swedish embassy in Algiers and later to other locations. In 2010, Sweden upgraded its presence in Mali by establishing a full embassy in Bamako, focusing on development cooperation, including human rights, democracy, and sustainable resource management. However, due to deteriorating security and Mali's growing alignment with Russia, Sweden decided to close the embassy by the end of 2024, while maintaining regional support through Dakar, Senegal. The closure followed the expulsion of the Swedish ambassador in August 2024, after a diplomatic dispute over Sweden's decision to phase out aid to Mali. Despite these challenges, Sweden remains committed to supporting Mali through regional initiatives and partnerships.

The Embassy of Sweden in Beirut is Sweden's diplomatic mission in Lebanon. The Embassy of Sweden in Beirut has a complex history, reflecting the turbulent political landscape of Lebanon. Sweden recognized Lebanon as an independent state in 1945 and established diplomatic relations in 1947. The Swedish legation in Beirut was established in 1957 and was elevated to an embassy in 1960. The embassy faced multiple closures due to the Lebanese Civil War, particularly during intense conflicts like the Battle of the Hotels in 1975 and the 1982 Lebanon War. Despite temporary closures, the embassy resumed operations intermittently. It was permanently reopened in 2016, focusing on political reporting and aid, particularly in response to the Syrian civil war and its spillover in Lebanon.

References

  1. ↑ "Sweden (SE) Representation in Bangladesh (BD)". consular-protection.ec.europa.eu. Retrieved 2023-11-25.
  2. ↑ "Bangladesh" (in Swedish). Government Offices of Sweden. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  3. ↑ "Bangladesh erkänns. 'Ökad hjälp'" [Bangladesh acknowledged. 'Increased aid']. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 1972-02-05. p. 6. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  4. ↑ Magnergård, Omar (1977-01-11). "Utrikes" . Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). p. 16. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  5. ↑ "Ny ambassadör vid ny ambassad" [New ambassador at new embassy]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). 1977-06-21. p. 12. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  6. ↑ "Skärpt bevakning införd i Dhaka" [Enhanced security measures implemented in Dhaka]. Svenska Dagbladet (in Swedish). Dhaka/Stockholm. TT. 1994-08-12. p. 8. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
  7. ↑ "New Swedish Ambassador Designate to Dhaka arrives". Sweden Abroad. Retrieved 2023-11-25.
  8. ↑ "Ambassadens personal" [Embassy staff] (in Swedish). Embassy of Sweden, Dhaka. 27 March 2024. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  9. ↑ Qadery, Neaz (2012). "Rapport från praktiktjänstgöring vid Sveriges ambassad i Dhaka" (PDF). Department of Political Science. Stockholm University. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
  10. ↑ "Sweden to support Rohingya refugees with USD 7.6 million - Bangladesh | ReliefWeb". reliefweb.int. 2023-02-15. Retrieved 2023-11-25.
  11. ↑ "Sweden, UNDP ink deal to work on climate adaptation in Bangladesh | News". BSS. Retrieved 2023-11-25.
  12. ↑ "Sweden, IUB to strengthen climate action". New Age. Retrieved 2023-11-25.
  13. ↑ "Sweden, IUB's ICCCAD launch 4-year climate action partnership". Prothom Alo . Dhaka. 2023-01-23. Retrieved 2023-11-25.
  14. ↑ "Team Group, Swisscontact, Swedish embassy to groom workers for high-end garment items". The Daily Star . 2023-08-12. Retrieved 2023-11-25.
  15. ↑ "Sweden pledges support for Bangladesh's growth". Daily Sun . Retrieved 2023-11-25.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.