Bangladesh and Russia have begun discussions on expanding bilateral trade, investment and economic cooperation, with officials and business leaders exploring new opportunities in information technology, education, scientific research and other potential sectors.
The discussions took place as the fifth meeting of the Russia-Bangladesh Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation formally commenced in Dhaka recently, according to a statement from the Russian Embassy issued on Tuesday.
The opening day featured expert-level consultations between representatives of the two countries, covering a broad range of issues, including investment, information and communication technology (ICT), education, sports and other areas of mutual interest.
The outcomes of the consultations will be incorporated into the protocol of the fifth IGC session, which will serve as the meeting's final document and outline areas for future bilateral cooperation.
Alongside the official consultations, a Russia-Bangladesh business dialogue was organised jointly by the newly established Russia-Bangladesh Business Council and the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI).
Addressing the business dialogue, Ilya Shestakov, Head of Russia's Federal Agency for Fisheries and Chairperson of the Russian side of the Intergovernmental Commission, reaffirmed Moscow's interest in expanding cooperation with Bangladesh across various areas of trade and economic engagement.
He said Russia remained open to exploring new opportunities for cooperation and strengthening commercial relations between businesses of the two countries.
Shestakov also expressed high expectations for collaboration between the Russia-Bangladesh Business Council and FBCCI, highlighting the potential of the two organisations to facilitate business-to-business engagement and identify investment opportunities.
Russian Ambassador to Bangladesh Alexander Khozin welcomed the initiative to strengthen direct contacts between entrepreneurs and business organisations of the two countries.
He particularly appreciated the efforts of Russia-Bangladesh Business Council Chairman Sattar Mia in promoting closer engagement between Russian and Bangladeshi businesses.
The ambassador underscored the importance of sustained interaction between the private sectors of the two countries to translate bilateral economic cooperation into concrete business initiatives.
He said direct dialogue between business communities would help identify practical joint projects, which ultimately determine the strength and effectiveness of bilateral economic relations.
The business dialogue continued with presentations by Russian and Bangladeshi companies, highlighting their respective activities and exploring potential avenues for commercial partnerships.
The fifth IGC meeting is expected to provide a platform for reviewing ongoing bilateral cooperation and identifying additional opportunities to strengthen trade, investment and technical collaboration between Bangladesh and Russia.