Bangladesh and Singapore have agreed to strengthen their diplomatic and economic relations following a bilateral meeting between their Foreign Ministers at the ASEAN Regional Forum in Manila.
During the talks, Singaporean Foreign Minister Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan congratulated Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman on his recent election as President of the 81st UN General Assembly. In response Dr. Rahman assured him that prioritizing the concerns of small nations such as Singapore would be a focus during his tenure.
The ministers agreed to advance mutual cooperation by boosting trade, investment, and skilled migration. Dr. Balakrishnan praised the significant contributions of the Bangladeshi expatriate community to Singapore's economic development and openly welcomed the continued migration of skilled workers. Furthermore both nations committed to continuing their ongoing efforts to finalize a bilateral Free Trade Agreement.
On regional matters Dr. Rahman actively sought Singapore’s backing for Bangladesh’s bid to join ASEAN as a Sectoral Dialogue Partner and its prospective entry into the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Highlighting critical humanitarian concerns he also requested Singapore’s support in finding a sustainable resolution to the Rohingya crisis.
This meeting signifies a meaningful step toward translating the strong people-to-people connections between the two nations into tangible, mutually beneficial partnerships.
