Bangladesh and Singapore have discussed the ways of adding “greater momentum” to the current pace of economic cooperation for mutual benefits.
In this regard, during the third political talk styled Foreign Office Consultations (FOC), both sides agreed to further strengthen bilateral synergies and best utilize the existing complementarities.
Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, who led the Bangladesh side, requested Singapore to play a more proactive role bilaterally and within the Asean framework for making possible an expeditious repatriation of the Rohingya refugees to their homeland in Myanmar.
He also sought an expeditious inclusion of Bangladesh as a Sectoral Dialogue Partner of Asean.
The Singapore delegation paid their rich tribute to the memory of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and all martyrs of 15 August, 1975 by placing a floral wreath at the portrait of Bangabandhu at Dhanmondi 32, and at Banani graveyard, on the National Mourning Day.
FOC injects vigor
Singapore Foreign Ministry’s Second Permanent Secretary and Law Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Luke Goh led his country during the FOC held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka on Wednesday.
The foreign ministry said this was held after a hiatus of more than eight years.
They discussed a whole gamut of the bilateral relations, including cooperation in the areas of trade and commerce, investment, power, energy, connectivity, blue economy, halal trade, tourism and culture, capacity building, education, health, security, agriculture, and ICT in addition to regional and global issues of mutual interests.
The two sides noted the importance of exchanging more high-level visits to add greater impetus to the ongoing bilateral relations.
“Both sides expressed optimism that the FOC would help inject further vigor and momentum into the existing excellent bilateral relations for making it more collaborative, substantial and meaningful in the days ahead,” the foreign ministry said.
The two sides stressed the importance of adequate follow up on the decisions reached during the FOC and other bilateral mechanisms.
The two sides took stock of the progress made vis-à-vis the proposed bilateral FTA and expressed determination for its conclusion at the earliest possible time in order to raise the bilateral trade and economic cooperation to its desired level.
The two sides lauded the regular functioning of the Bangladesh-Singapore Joint Working Group formed under the recently signed Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) in this regard.
Given the existing bilateral trade, Foreign Secretary urged the Singaporean side to seriously consider Bangladesh as a source country for their imports of quality items at very competitive prices including RMG, pharmaceuticals, leather and jute products, ceramics, plastic, and bicycles in order to make it more balanced.
Terming Singapore as an important investor country in Bangladesh, Foreign Secretary Momen encouraged for a greater flow of FDI from Singapore, particularly in the Economic Zones of Bangladesh, for mutual benefit.
The two sides elaborately discussed the potential areas of collaboration in agro-processing and agricultural research and capacity building.
Both sides appreciated that Bangladeshi nationals currently working in Singapore are making admirable contributions to both countries’ economies.
Bangladesh expressed its readiness to provide the adequate human resources – both skilled and semi-skilled - such as, welders, medical technicians, security personnel, gardeners, cleaners, agriculture workers, and domestic workers to help sustain the momentum of Singaporean economy.
Bangladesh also expressed its interests for greater cooperation from Singapore in the arena of human resource development through training and knowledge-sharing.
Earlier, Derek Loh, the Non-resident Ambassador of Singapore to Bangladesh paid the rich tribute to the memory of Bangabandhu on behalf of the visiting Singaporean delegation on the occasion of the National Mourning Day, August 15.