Bangladesh and Kyrgyzstan vowed to strengthen bilateral relations, expand economic cooperation and deepen coordination on regional and international issues at the second round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) held in Bishkek on Tuesday.

Foreign Secretary Ambassador Asad Alam Siam and Kyrgyz Deputy Foreign Minister Kairat Tursunkulov led their respective delegations at the consultations. Bangladesh Ambassador to Uzbekistan Dr M. Monirul Islam was also part of the Bangladesh delegation.

The two sides signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation between the foreign service academies of the two countries and another MoU on the 2026-2027 programme of action between their foreign ministries to promote mutually beneficial and practical cooperation.

They also agreed to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and Kyrgyzstan in 2027, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During the meeting, the two delegations reviewed the entire range of bilateral relations, including trade and investment, education and scholarships, employment opportunities and labour mobility, business-to-business contacts, parliamentary friendship, high-level visits, information technology and technology transfer, culture, people-to-people contacts and visa facilitation.

They also emphasised expanding cooperation within regional and international organisations, including the United Nations, the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), for the mutual benefit of the two countries.

Both sides placed high priority on exploring untapped potential and recalibrating bilateral relations, agreeing to arrange high-level visits, including visits by the foreign ministers, to strengthen political engagement.

With Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman serving as president of the 81st session of the UN General Assembly and Kyrgyzstan set to serve as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2027-2028, the delegations also pledged mutual support on key issues.

On trade, investment and economic cooperation, the two sides agreed to encourage greater private-sector engagement and exchanges of business delegations to realise the existing potential.

They also agreed to explore broader cooperation in the textile and garment and pharmaceutical sectors, taking into account the strengths and opportunities of both countries.

Highlighting the geostrategic location of the Eurasian region and its market of more than 180 million people, the discussions underscored opportunities for deeper economic engagement and access to wider regional markets.

The Kyrgyz side expressed optimism about strengthening cooperation through government-to-government (G2G), business-to-business (B2B) and private-sector-to-private-sector initiatives to promote trade, investment and business partnerships.

The two countries also emphasised strengthening people-to-people ties through cooperation in education and sports, exchanges of students, youths, tourists and cultural groups, and employment opportunities for skilled and semi-skilled Bangladeshi workers in Kyrgyzstan.

Potential employment sectors include garments, pharmaceuticals and information technology, according to the discussions.

The Kyrgyz delegation noted significant opportunities for Bangladeshi students to pursue higher education in medical colleges in Kyrgyzstan and stressed the importance of establishing regular and legal pathways for student mobility.

The delegations also discussed several other bilateral instruments concerning visa exemption for diplomatic and official passport holders, cooperation between apex chambers, agriculture, trade and economic cooperation, cultural cooperation, tourism promotion, promotion and protection of investments, and industrial cooperation.

They agreed to conclude these instruments at the earliest.

Following the consultations, Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam held a bilateral meeting with Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Zheenbek Kulubaev, during which they discussed deepening engagement on bilateral and multilateral fronts for the mutual benefit of the two countries.

Kulubaev recalled his meeting with Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman in New York in September 2026 and expressed his hope for closer cooperation with Bangladesh. He also invited his Bangladeshi counterpart to visit Kyrgyzstan at a mutually convenient time.

Both sides agreed to deepen regional and global coordination and reaffirmed their commitment to close coordination and mutual support at international platforms, including the UN and the OIC.

During the meeting, Siam sought Kyrgyzstan's support for Bangladesh's candidatures in elections to the UN Security Council for the 2031-2032 term and the Human Rights Council for 2028-2030, as well as on issues related to the repatriation of Rohingyas from Bangladesh.

In response, Kulubaev expressed gratitude to Bangladesh for its support for Kyrgyzstan's election as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for the 2027-2028 term.

The two delegations expressed optimism that the second round of consultations would lay a solid foundation for practical, results-oriented engagement in various areas of cooperation and partnership.

They also agreed to hold the third round of Foreign Office Consultations in Dhaka at a mutually convenient time.