Bangladesh, Indonesia seek to expand trade, connectivity

DHAKA, Oct 8: Bangladesh and Indonesia have agreed to explore new avenues of economic and connectivity cooperation, with Dhaka calling on Jakarta to increase imports of Bangladeshi products and Indonesia expressing interest in establishing a direct air link between the two countries.

Indonesian Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Anis Matta held a meeting with Bangladesh’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam at her office in Dhaka on Thursday, where they discussed bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest.

Highlighting the existing friendly relations between the two countries, Shama Obaed stressed the need to deepen bilateral trade and urged Indonesia to import more Bangladeshi products.

She also called for greater cooperation between women entrepreneurs of Bangladesh and Indonesia, according to Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Welcoming the proposals, Matta said Indonesia was interested in working closely with Bangladesh to expand economic cooperation beyond traditional areas of business.

Connectivity also featured prominently in the discussions.

The Indonesian vice minister encouraged both sides to explore the possibility of establishing direct flights between Dhaka and Jakarta.

He also expressed Indonesia’s interest in exploring Dhaka as a potential transit hub for Indonesian passengers travelling to Saudi Arabia.

The proposal could open a new dimension in Bangladesh-Indonesia connectivity, particularly given the large volume of travel between Southeast Asia and the Middle East.

The two sides also discussed cooperation in several emerging and strategic areas.

Shama Obaed called for stronger bilateral cooperation on environmental protection and climate change, as well as artificial intelligence and cultural exchange.

Seeking to expand educational ties, she encouraged Indonesian students to consider Bangladesh as an education destination, particularly for studies at the country’s medical universities.

The meeting came as Matta was on an official visit to Bangladesh. He is scheduled to leave Dhaka today.

The discussions indicate that Dhaka and Jakarta are seeking to broaden bilateral engagement beyond conventional diplomatic and commercial relations, with trade, aviation, education, climate cooperation and emerging technologies becoming increasingly important areas of cooperation.