Bangladesh and China have agreed to enhance cooperation in financial regulation, and encouraged increased use of local currency settlement in bilateral trade, according to a joint statement issued after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s three-day official visit to Beijing. Hasina returned home early hours of Thursday after talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Li Qiang. The Bangladesh side welcomes Chinese banks to establish branches in Bangladesh, and vice versa. Bangladesh and China agreed to strengthen coordination in international and multilateral affairs, and expressed readiness to further coordinate positions and build broader consensus in multilateral processes concerning international peace and security, sustainable development, human rights, humanitarian affairs, climate change, energy transition and environmental protection, to jointly safeguard the common interest of developing countries. The two sides discussed various aspects of the Global Development Initiative put forward by President Xi Jinping. The Chinese side is ready to share experience on GDI issues with the Bangladesh side. How Chinese media covered the PM’s Beijing visit The Chinese side also presented the Global Security Initiative (GSI) and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) to the Bangladesh side to ensure peace, development and shared prosperity for all. PM Hasina paid an official visit to China from July 8 to 10 at the invitation of Premier Li. During the visit,  Hasina had a meeting with  Xi and met with Wang Huning, chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference. In a cordial and friendly atmosphere, the two sides had in-depth exchange of views on bilateral relations and international and regional issues of mutual interest, and reached extensive consensus. The Bangladesh side congratulated the Chinese side on the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, and applauded China’s historic achievements and transformation in economic and social development in the new era. Bangladesh lauded China’s efforts to build itself into a great modern socialist country in all respects and advance the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation on all fronts through the Chinese path to modernisation, and expressed sincere wish for China to realise the Chinese dream of national rejuvenation as scheduled. The Chinese side applauded the achievements of Bangladesh in economic and social development, and expressed continued support for Bangladesh’s graduation from the UN Least Developed Countries (LDC) status in 2026 as scheduled and Bangladesh’s steady progress toward realising its Vision 2041 of a “Smart Bangladesh.” The two sides applauded their strategic partnership of cooperation established in 2016, and agreed that the China-Bangladesh relationship has reached a new height. Xi-Hasina meeting: China to cooperate with Bangladesh in grants and loans Leaders of the two countries agreed to stay committed to the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence, carry forward the long-standing friendship, foster greater synergy between development strategies of the two countries, advance the Belt and Road cooperation, and elevate the bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. The two sides decided to take the opportunity of celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-Bangladesh diplomatic relations in 2025 to plan together for the future development of bilateral ties and take the China-Bangladesh relationship to another new height. The two sides agreed that China and Bangladesh have been good neighbours and good friends since ancient times, sharing a millennium-old history of friendly exchanges. Over the past 49 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the traditional China-Bangladesh friendship forged by generations of leaders of both countries has grown from strength to strength. The two countries have always respected each other, treated each other as equals, and pursued mutual benefits. With ever deepening mutual trust, the two countries have achieved fruitful outcomes in their practical cooperation, and kept close collaboration in international and regional affairs, thus setting a fine example of friendship and mutually beneficial cooperation in relations between countries. The two sides reaffirmed their commitment to mutual respect for each other’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity, and to mutual understanding and support on issues involving each other’s core interests and major concerns. The Chinese side firmly supports Bangladesh in maintaining peace and stability, realising development goals as envisioned under Vision 2041, non-interference in its internal affairs, and independently choosing a development path suited to its national conditions. The two sides stressed that the authority of the U.N. General Assembly Resolution 2758 is beyond question and brooks no challenge. Bangladesh reiterated its firm commitment to the one-China principle and its position that the government of the People’s Republic of China represents the whole of China, and Taiwan is part of China, and Bangladesh supports China on issues pertaining to China's core interests and China's efforts to safeguard its national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Read more: China to continue zero-tariff treatment to Bangladesh for transitional period beyond 2026

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in a meeting held on Monday (April 8, 2024) with the visiting Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira and his delegation, underscored the significant potential for enhancing bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Brazil.  “There is immense scope to increase bilateral trade between the two countries,” she was quoted as saying. The meeting took place at the Prime Minister's office, where Sheikh Hasina highlighted the opportunity for Brazil to augment its import of readymade garment (RMG) products directly from Bangladesh, thus eliminating the need for intermediaries and making the process more cost-effective. The briefing to reporters post-discussion was provided by PM's speechwriter M Nazrul Islam.  He revealed that the Prime Minister expressed a desire to deepen the current bilateral relationship between the two nations. Noting the current trade imbalance heavily skewed in favour of Brazil — with Bangladesh importing substantial amounts of sugar, soybean oil, and cotton from Brazil and exporting only a minimal amount of RMG products in return — she pointed out the considerable scope for Brazil to diversify its imports to include not only more RMG products but also jute, jute goods, leather, and leather goods from Bangladesh. Reflecting on the historical connections, Prime Minister Hasina remarked on Brazil's significant role as the first country in South America to recognise Bangladesh's independence in 1971, shortly after the Liberation War.  Multilateral Forums: PM likely to visit Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Gambia from April 24 to May 6 She emphasised the shared perspectives and stances of Bangladesh and Brazil in various international forums. The conversation also veered towards sports, with the Prime Minister expressing an interest in Brazilian football and seeking cooperation to elevate the standards of football in Bangladesh. In a gesture of diplomatic goodwill, the visiting Brazilian Foreign Minister extended an invitation from Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to Prime Minister Hasina to attend the final meeting of the G20 Task Force for the creation of Global Alliance against Hunger and Poverty in Rio de Janerio on 24th July. The prime minister accepted the invitation. The G20 is made up of 19 countries and the EU. The 19 countries are: Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, France, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, the Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, and the US. Brazil holds the Presidency in 2024. The discussions further ventured into global political arena, with Vieira commending Bangladesh for its stance against the ongoing conflict in Gaza and aligning with Bangladesh's condemnation of the Israeli aggression as genocide.  “They (Israel) have violated all kinds of international norms, they bombed hospitals, continue killing in the shelter camps… this is not a war, this is genocide,” the PM was quoted as saying. She mentioned that Israeli forces are not even sparing children, women and the elderly. Praising the socio-economic progress of Bangladesh under Prime Minister Hasina's leadership, Vieira expressed Brazil's interest in learning from Bangladesh's development experience, noting the similarities between the two populous nations in their battles against poverty and hunger. Govt steps cut down child and mortality rate in Bangladesh: PM Hasina The visit, marked by Vieira's presentation of a Brazil National Football Team jersey to Prime Minister Hasina, bearing her name, underscored the amicable discussions and the mutual desire to explore avenues for cooperation and shared growth.  Leading a delegation of high officials and a robust trade team, this is the Brazilian Foreign Minister’s first visit to Bangladesh, opening new chapters in the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Brazil.

Bangladesh and France have reiterated interest in expanding bilateral trade and exploring potentials for investment in quality and resilient infrastructure development in Bangladesh, including in the railway sector. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron expressed the hope that the Bangladesh-France Investment Summit — to be held on October 23 and 25, 2023 — in Paris and Toulouse would inject a new impetus to the bilateral trade and investment relations. "Thank you, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and the people of Bangladesh for such a warm welcome. Our friendship is long-standing and unbreakable," President Macron said. Read: Partnership for resilience and prosperity: Dhaka, Paris want joint efforts for result-oriented COP28 in Dubai France expressed its confidence in the economic prospects offered by Bangladesh for shared growth and inclusive development. Both sides recalled the depth of their economic partnership, spanning every sector from industry to services, and expressed willingness to further deepen and widen it through business-to-business collaboration, according to a joint statement issued on Monday. France lauded the adoption of the National Action Plan on the labour sector of Bangladesh (2021-2026) and stressed the importance of its implementation and the diversification of Bangladesh’s economy in order to facilitate a smooth and sustainable transition under the Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) of the European Union. Read: Bangladesh, France sign €184 credit facility deal to support urban governance, infrastructure improvement Building on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to France in November 2021, at her invitation, President Emmanuel Macron paid a bilateral visit to Bangladesh on September 10-11, 2023. The President of France and the Prime Minister of Bangladesh met on Monday in Dhaka to give a strong impetus to the bilateral relations, and stated their common conviction to develop a trusted and meaningful partnership fostering strategic autonomy — in support of global peace and security, resilience and prosperity, and people-centric connectivity. Bangladesh and France committed to launch regular high-level dialogues to deepen the strategic dimension of their partnership. Read: France happy with Bangladesh’s commitment for acquisition of 10 A350 from Airbus

The state government of Meghalaya, of India, is keen to deepen economic and trade ties with Bangladesh. Conrad Sangma, Chief Minister of Meghalaya, discussed this when the High Commissioner of Bangladesh to India, Md. Mustafizur Rahman, paid a courtesy call on him at his office on Wednesday. The Chief Minister apprised the High Commissioner about the opportunities and possibilities of expanding trade and commerce in the state of Meghalaya. Read more: 'Dhaka, Delhi satisfied over bilateral cooperation' In particular, he highlighted the possibility of direct import of garment, plastic and electronic products, processed food and frozen food from Bangladesh, according to the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi.    

The FBCCI Senior Vice President Mostofa Azad Chowdhury on Monday said the federation is looking to enhance bilateral trade relations and investment opportunities between Bangladesh and Mozambique. “Both Bangladesh and Mozambique occupy a strategic position as business hubs and could benefit from a more robust trade and economic partnership,” he said while presiding over a discussion meeting with the Mozambique Business Delegation at the FBCCI. Mostofa said, “Our presence in Africa is mostly due to the large contribution of our peacekeeping forces. But now we are trying to increase business ties with the southern economic bloc by enhancing trade and investment.” The delegation was led by the Director General for Asia and Oceania of Mozambique Jose Matsinha. He said, "There is huge potential in economic relations between Mozambique and Bangladesh. We’re here in Bangladesh to see which area we both can work on." Read more: FBCCI urges policy support in tourism development Jose Matsinha said, “We can get experience from Bangladesh in strategic areas with mutual interest. We have a large amount of land and plenty of water in Mozambique but we lack expertise. Bangladesh can help us in the agriculture sector.” He also praised the Bangladeshi peacekeepers who worked in Mozambique. High Commissioner of Mozambique to India Ermindo Ferreira, Director General (Bangladesh’s foreign wing) for Africa Md. Tarikul Islam, representative of the Ministry of Economy and Finance (of Mozambique) Jose Fernando Messias, Mozambican Investment, and Export Promotion Agency Dique Francisco Bacar, and FBCCI Directors, among others, were present on the occasion.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Bangladesh Pham Viet Chien has expressed optimism that the bilateral trade between the two countries will reach $2 billion mark in 2023 when the two countries will celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations. In the first nine months of 2022 calendar year, the bilateral trade turnover between the two countries has reached $1.1 billion and it is expected to reach $1.5 billion by end of December. “If this trend keeps continuing, I hope that trade between the two countries will reach $2 billion in 2023,” Ambassador Chien told UNB in an interview, terming the economic relations between the two countries “robust”.   Read more: Bangladesh-Vietnam direct flights may begin this year-end Responding to a question, the Vietnamese envoy said he has always encouraged Bangladeshi businesses to promote more Bangladeshi goods and services to the Vietnamese people so that Bangladesh can export more products to the Vietnam market.  “I think there is a lot of potential to further boost the economic relations between the two countries - from manufacturing industry to agriculture,” he said seeking more cooperation with each other as economic cooperation is one of the most significant features of the bilateral relations between the two countries.

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan has met Foreign Secretary of India Harsh Vardhan Shringla at his official residence in New Delhi on Saturday.  BGMEA Director Tanvir Ahmed was also present at the meeting.  Also read: Dhaka, Delhi will soon be connected through 6 rail links: Shringla They discussed potential areas of cooperation and collaboration to enhance trade between Bangladesh and India.  Their talks also focused on existing problems in export-import trade and non-tariff barriers, especially in textiles products trading and possible ways to address them.  Faruque Hasaan pointed to the huge opportunities that lie ahead for Bangladesh and India.  Both neighbouring countries can gain mutual trade benefits by complementing each other, particularly in boosting apparel and textile businesses, he said He said, “India is one of the major markets for importing raw materials for our RMG industry. We import man-made fiber, yarn, fabric, chemicals, machinery, dyes etc. Bangladesh is giving emphasis on high-end MMF-based apparel items. India, as a major supplier of textiles including MMF fabrics can meet the growing demand of Bangladesh.” On the other hand, India is a promising export market for Bangladeshi readymade garments due to geographical proximity, competitive price and quality, he said.  Also read: India to remain resolute in dealing with security challenges in region: Shringla So, both countries have scope to tap into the reciprocal trade benefits, he added.  The BGMEA President requested the Indian Foreign Secretary for steps to expedite and facilitate trade, especially removing non-tariff barriers and simplification of export-import procedures through the land ports in order to reduce time and cost.

Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have laid emphasis on early conclusion of the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with a hope that it will “widen” the bilateral trade significantly between the two South Asian countries. Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen and his Sri Lankan counterpart Prof. G.L Peiris had a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 18th BIMSTEC ministerial meeting in Colombo on Tuesday. Read:Dhaka undecided on Colombo's request for another $250m loan: Momen They discussed areas of cooperation including diversification and expansion of the export basket. The negotiations over the PTA are at an advanced stage, said Secretary (East) Mashfee Binte Shams, who attended the meeting.  Rector of Bangladesh Foreign Service Academy Asad Alam Siam and High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Sri Lanka Tareq Md Ariful Islam were also present. The Sri Lankan foreign minister highly commended the great leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her policy against terrorism and violent extremism. Foreign minister Momen stressed on initiating regular commercial shipping lines and cruise shipping for enhancement of trade and people to people contacts. He also pointed out that the high price of air tickets is creating barriers to promoting tourism between the two countries. The Sri Lankan foreign minister emphasized and echoed the position of Bangladesh leadership for better utilisation of Colombo port for transportation of Bangladeshi goods for the benefit of both the sides. Read:Dhaka, Kathmandu eye broader cooperation in key areas Both the foreign ministers agreed to work together in various regional and multilateral fora for common benefits. Momen thanked his Sri Lankan counterpart for the warm hospitality and congratulated for hosting the BIMSTEC Summit preceded by the ministerial meeting and the senior officials meeting. The Sri Lankan foreign minister recalled his visit to Dhaka last year in November and his meeting with prime minister Sheikh Hasina.

Applauding the initiative for a free trade agreement (FTA) between Bangladesh and Singapore, Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen on Thursday said FTA would be mutually beneficial by further enhancing the bilateral trade and investment. "Singapore is an important bilateral trade and investment partner of Bangladesh," he said during a telephone conversation with his Singapore counterpart Dr Vivian Balakrishnan. The two Foreign Ministers agreed to accelerate the process for concluding the FTA early. Dr Momen encouraged more Singaporean investors to invest in power, telecommunication, renewable energy and power transmission sectors in Bangladesh taking advantage of a very friendly investment regime in the country. Also read:Rohingya Crisis: Dhaka voices concerns over security implications in entire region While thanking the Government of Singapore for providing humanitarian assistance to the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals sheltered in Bangladesh, Dr. Momen sought Singapore’s and ASEAN’s proactive role in bringing a sustainable and permanent solution to the Rohingya crisis by ensuring their urgent return to their homeland in Myanmar. Dr Vivian assured that Singapore would remain engaged on the issue and of Singapore’s continued support for a durable solution to the crisis. During the conversation, Dr Momen expressed satisfaction over the excellent bilateral relations existing between the two friendly countries, mentioning that Bangladesh considers Singapore as a role model of Economic Development. The two Foreign Ministers agreed on the necessity of exploring synergies in new areas of cooperation for expanded bilateral engagement. Dr Momen noted with satisfaction Singapore government’s continuous support to the Bangladeshi expatriate workers during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. He suggested that Singapore may consider employing more skilled workers from Bangladesh especially in their health and other service sectors. Also read: Bangladesh needs 34,000 MW of electricity by 2030 to sustain its growth: ICCB Praising Dr Balakrishnan’s previous role as Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation Initiative, Dr Momen shared the rapid digital transformation of the economy and society in Bangladesh under the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for a ‘Digital Bangladesh’. Dr Momen sought Singaporean cooperation in the area of ICT and digitization, to which Dr. Balakrishnan responded very positively and assured of full support and assistance. Referring to the 50 years of diplomatic ties between the two countries in 2022, both the Ministers agreed to celebrate the special occasion in a befitting manner in both the countries. Dr Momen invited his Singaporean counterpart to visit Bangladesh. Dr Balakrishnan also extended an invitation to Dr Momen for an official visit to Singapore to kick-start the celebration of the 50 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. The two Foreign Ministers also exchanged greetings of the New Year and discussed the pandemic situation in their respective countries.

FBCCI President Md. Jashim Uddin on Monday called upon the government to take initiative to harness the huge untapped potentials of bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Indonesia. Jashim made the call when Bangladesh Ambassador to Indonesia Air Vice Marshal Mohammad Mostafizur Rahman called on him at his FBCCI office.In FY 2020-21, the import-export trade between Indonesia and Bangladesh stood at US$ 1.9 billion, which has a huge potential for further growth.Indonesia has a large market for Bangladeshi medicines, agricultural products, poultry, jute and leather goods and footwear. Also read: FBCCI seeks to extend loans moratorium facility until June 2022Jashim also urged the ambassador to take initiative so that Indonesia would also invest in an economic zone of Bangladesh.During the meeting the ambassador said that the Bangladesh government is keen to be a sectoral dialogue partner of Indonesia.As the tariff and tax structure in the country is relatively simple, it will be easier for Bangladeshi exporters to capture the market, he said.“Indonesian entrepreneurs are interested in investing in Bangladesh through joint ventures in the pharmaceutical and SME sectors,” he said.He also said that a delegation led by the country's industry minister or commerce minister will visit Bangladesh this year to explore bilateral trade and investment prospects. Also read: FBCCI preparing a master plan to face post-LDC challengesHe said negotiations are also underway on a preferential trade agreement (PTA) with the country.FBCCI Senior Vice President Mostofa Azad Chowdhury Babu, Vice President Md. Amin Helaly, Director MGR Nasir Majumder and Secretary General Mohammad Mahfuzul Hoque were present during the meeting.