Bangladesh, Australia reaffirm stronger trade ties

Bangladesh and Australia have reaffirmed their commitment to expanding bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, skills development and research, with both sides stressing the need for more structured and long-term collaboration to support economic growth and institutional capacity building.

The commitment came during a meeting between Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir and Australian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Susan Ryle at the Ministry of Commerce in Dhaka yesterday.

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According to officials, discussions focused on strengthening trade negotiation capacity, promoting research collaboration and expanding cooperation in education, agriculture, livestock and investment.

During the meeting, the commerce minister said the government is planning to introduce institutional, long-term training programmes for government officials involved in international trade, with particular emphasis on World Trade Organization (WTO) laws and trade negotiations.

To support the initiative, the government has undertaken plans to establish a research and study centre that would eventually serve as a regional hub for knowledge sharing, policy research and capacity building, he said.

The minister also highlighted the importance of improving the professional capacity of Project Directors (PDs), noting that the effective implementation of national development projects depends largely on their competence. The government is therefore considering specialised training programmes to strengthen their skills, he added.

Responding to the proposal, High Commissioner Susan Ryle expressed Australia’s interest in supporting long-term institutional capacity development.

She said previous training initiatives had been conducted on a limited scale, but discussions are now underway to develop more structured and sustained programmes covering trade negotiations, the legal aspects of international agreements and public policy formulation.She also indicated that other development partners could be involved in the initiative.

The meeting also reviewed Bangladesh’s trade prospects following its graduation from the least developed country (LDC) category, including future market access strategies and the country’s position within the global trading system.Both sides agreed on the importance of maintaining regular dialogue on these issues.

She identified education, transnational education, renewable energy, agriculture, food processing and business investment as sectors offering significant opportunities for deeper cooperation.

Ryle also informed the meeting that an Australian business delegation is expected to visit Bangladesh in the near future, a move both sides believe will help boost trade and investment ties.

The discussions further explored prospects for exporting premium Australian beef to Bangladesh, alongside cooperation on halal certification, livestock traceability and modern livestock management practices to facilitate future trade in the sector.

Concluding the meeting, Bangladesh and Australia reiterated their commitment to elevating bilateral relations through broader economic engagement, sustainable partnerships and enhanced strategic cooperation.