President of Timor-Leste José Ramos-Horta will undertake a state visit to Bangladesh from Saturday to Tuesday at the invitation of Chief Adviser Dr Muahmmad Yunus.
This will be the first state visit by a head of state of Timor-Leste to Bangladesh, Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin told reporters in a briefing on Thursday.
During this visit, he will participate in the Victory Day celebrations on December 16.
The delegation accompanying the President will include 19 members, including the Minister of Foreign Affairs, the President's Chief Adviser, and other senior officials.
This state visit will be marked as a “historic milestone” in the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Timor-Leste.
“We are optimistic that this visit will be a successful and fruitful one,” the foreign secretary said.
Diplomatic relations and contributions of Bangladesh
After Timor-Leste gained independence, Bangladesh officially recognized the country on June 7, 2002, establishing diplomatic relations.
Following Timor-Leste's independence, Bangladesh’s peacekeeping forces played a key role in restoring peace and stability in the war-torn country, and Timor-Leste continues to express gratitude towards Bangladesh for this contribution.
Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus will officially receive the President at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport with full state honors.
On the first day of the visit, Sunday, President Ramos-Horta will hold a private meeting with the chief adviser. A bilateral meeting will follow between the two countries’ delegations.
That evening, the president will attend a state banquet hosted in his honor. On Monday, he will meet the President of Bangladesh at Bangabhaban.
On Monday, President Ramos-Horta will visit the National Martyrs' Memorial in Savar to pay respects to the martyrs of the Bangladesh Liberation War.
He will also attend the 54th Victory Day celebrations.
On Tuesday, he will deliver a public lecture at the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) on "The Challenges of Peace in the Contemporary World".
That afternoon, he will address students and youth in Bangladesh, sharing his experiences of Timor-Leste’s struggle for independence, his leadership, the role of the people, and the aspirations of the Timorese people post-independence.
Areas of discussion and agreements
During this visit, discussions will cover various areas of bilateral cooperation.
Two significant agreements are expected to be signed: A mutual visa exemption agreement for holders of official and diplomatic passports and a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) establishing a Bilateral Consultation Mechanism between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of both countries.
“These agreements are expected to pave the way for a broad partnership between Bangladesh and Timor-Leste, benefiting both nations in various fields. Additionally, the establishment of an Honorary Consulate of Timor-Leste in Bangladesh is expected to be announced,” the foreign secretary said.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh has awarded a scholarship to a young Timorese diplomat for the "Specialized Diplomatic Training Course (SDTC)" and the "Professional Master’s in International Relations and Diplomacy (PMIRD)" in 2025.
This course is jointly conducted by the Foreign Service Academy and the Department of International Relations at Dhaka University.
During the bilateral meetings, discussions will also cover agreements and MoUs in areas such as trade and investment, air services, cultural exchanges, education, professional and diplomatic training, disaster management, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), and poverty alleviation.
Potential cooperation will be explored in areas like food security, health and nutrition, agriculture, contract farming, animal husbandry, deep-sea fishing, information technology, tourism, the welfare of Bangladeshi expatriates in Timor-Leste, and issues related to permanent residency cards.
Furthermore, student and teacher exchanges, joint research projects, and cooperation in higher education through joint Master’s and Doctoral programs will also be discussed.
Global and Regional Cooperation
The visit will also focus on global and regional cooperation, including in the field of climate change.
It is expected that Timor-Leste will become a full member of ASEAN in 2025-26.
This will provide an opportunity for Bangladesh’s inclusion as a “Sectoral Dialogue Partner” and for Timor-Leste to express strong support for Bangladesh’s role in ASEAN, particularly in advocating for the repatriation of the Rohingya refugees, said the foreign secretary.