Bangladesh and Lithuania on Thursday agreed to leverage their strategic geographic positions in the Baltic region and South and Southeast Asia to promote cooperation, stability and inter-regional connectivity.
They also agreed to celebrate the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2027 in a befitting manner, highlighting the achievements of the bilateral relationship and reaffirming their commitment to further strengthen ties.
The two sides agreed to encourage greater private-sector interaction and exchanges of business delegations to realize the potential for expanded economic cooperation.
The agreements came at the second Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) between Bangladesh and Lithuania held in Dhaka, where both sides placed high priority to recalibrating and expanding bilateral relations, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Ambassador Dr M Nazrul Islam, Secretary, Bilateral (East & West) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Lithuanian Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Vidmantas Verbickas led their respective delegations.
Representatives from the Ministry of Commerce, Invest Bangladesh Authority, the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, and the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology also participated in the consultations on behalf of Bangladesh.
At the outset of the consultations, the heads of the two delegations signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the FOC.
The delegations discussed the full range of bilateral relations and stressed the need to further deepen political cooperation. They also proposed reciprocal high-level visits, including by foreign ministers.
Bangladesh highlighted its strengths in key manufacturing sectors, including ready-made garments (RMG), jute and jute products, and pharmaceuticals.
It invited Lithuanian investors to explore the investment-friendly environment in Bangladesh’s Special Economic Zones and urged the early conclusion of an MoU between the apex chambers of commerce of the two countries.
Bangladesh also invited an exploratory mission from the Lithuanian private sector.
Both sides emphasized cooperation in ICT, digital governance, interoperability, e-ID systems, secure data exchange, innovation and business partnerships.
Lithuania expressed its readiness to support e-governance initiatives in Bangladesh.
The delegations also discussed expanding cooperation in information technology, e-registration, e-governance, financial technology (FinTech), GovTech, cloud and data services, cybersecurity, e-transportation, digitization of transport systems, artificial intelligence, innovative technologies, high-tech medical devices, pharmaceuticals and biotechnology.
The Lithuanian vice-minister highlighted Lithuania’s capabilities in these specialized sectors and expressed keen interest in expanding cooperation with Bangladesh, describing it as a rapidly growing digital economy.
The Lithuanian delegation said many Lithuanian digital-sector companies and investors are eager to explore opportunities for investment in Bangladesh and collaborate with Bangladeshi counterparts.
The two sides also discussed cooperation on employment and skilled manpower migration. Bangladesh highlighted its growing pool of skilled workers, including IT professionals, engineers, electricians, plumbers and healthcare workers.
They discussed enhanced cooperation on skilled manpower migration from Bangladesh to Lithuania under the EU’s Talent Partnership program, particularly in ICT, caregiving, construction, hospitality and tourism, agriculture and agro-processing.
Lithuania expressed optimism about the prospects under a government-to-government (G2G) mechanism and through regular legal channels.
The two sides also emphasized the importance of broader people-to-people ties through cooperation in education and sports, exchanges of students, youths, tourists and cultural troupes, and employment opportunities for highly skilled and semi-skilled Bangladeshi workers in Lithuania.
The Lithuanian vice-minister said the number of Bangladeshi students in Lithuania has increased more than fourfold in recent years, with around 1,200 students currently studying at Lithuanian universities.
Bangladesh and Lithuania also agreed to deepen regional and global coordination and reaffirm close coordination and mutual support at international platforms, including the United Nations.
They exchanged views on critical regional and global developments and decided to hold the third round of the Foreign Office Consultations in Vilnius at a mutually convenient time.