The Netherlands will send a trade mission to Bangladesh next year to extend support in the agriculture sector and strengthen trade relations between the two countries.

Foreign Trade and Development Minister of the Netherlands Tom De Brujin said this on Wednesday at a meeting with Agriculture Minister Md Abdur Razzaque at the Hague.

The Dutch minister said trade ties between the two countries will be strengthened involving private sector in food, water and energy issues and the embassies of the two countries will take necessary steps in this regard.

Abdur Razzque requested the Dutch minister to increase the number of scholarships for Bangladeshi students seeking higher studies in the Netherlands in agricultural.

Besides, the minister wanted Dutch assistance to retain the trade privileges for Bangladesh in exporting goods to the European Union countries even after its graduation to a middle-income country.

“Bangladesh needs Netherlands’ knowledge, technology, innovation and solution in agriculture and we want the support on win-win basis,” he said.

Both the ministers expressed hope over advancing the agricultural ties between the two countries to the next level within a year and a half at the meeting.

Later Abdur Razzaque met Vice Minister of Agricultural and Natural Resource Ministry of Netherlands Groet.

Abdur Razzaque sought Dutch support for establishing supply chain, agricultural mechanization and to build modern packaging houses in Bangladesh.

The minister also invited Dutch private sectors to build agro innovation labs and join in building high quality storage facilities in Bangladesh for speeding up the mechanization process.