Bangladesh and Singapore have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening bilateral cooperation, placing renewed emphasis on digital governance, trade and investment.
The understanding was reached during a courtesy call by the Chargé d’Affaires of the Singapore High Commission in Bangladesh, Mitchel Lee, on State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today.
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During the meeting, Mitchel Lee congratulated the minister on her recent appointment, while Shama Obaed Islam reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to strengthening longstanding friendly relations between the two countries.
She highlighted the strong reputation of Bangladeshi workers in Singapore and pointed to emerging employment opportunities linked to major infrastructure projects, including the expansion of Changi Airport.
In response, the state minister underscored the importance of expanding opportunities for both skilled and semi-skilled Bangladeshi workers, identifying employment generation and vocational training as key government priorities.
The Singapore side expressed keen interest in expediting the Bangladesh-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and sought continued collaboration on major projects, including the Bay Terminal.
Shama Obaed assured full cooperation from Bangladesh and pledged coordination with relevant government agencies to facilitate progress.
Seeking to attract further investment, she invited Singaporean businesses to explore opportunities in Bangladesh, particularly in ICT and digital infrastructure.
Lee, in turn, expressed strong interest in supporting Bangladesh’s digital transformation, including initiatives aimed at improving governance efficiency, transparency and cost-effectiveness through technology and capacity building.
The two sides also discussed potential collaboration in the energy sector, including renewable energy and waste-to-energy projects. Singapore expressed interest in investing in Bangladesh’s growing clean energy sector.
The state minister emphasised the need to boost Bangladeshi exports, noting the existing trade imbalance in Bangladesh’s favour. Singapore indicated potential interest in importing agro-products such as mangoes and seafood, alongside jute, ceramics and leather goods.
Both sides underscored the importance of exchanging business delegations to strengthen targeted engagement, and welcomed the prospect of Bangladesh hosting the next round of Foreign Office Consultations in Dhaka later this year.
Bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Singapore currently stands at over $3 billion annually, while around 150,000 Bangladeshis are employed in the Southeast Asian nation.
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