Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan explore trade, investment opportunities

Bangladesh and Kyrgyzstan have stressed strengthening bilateral cooperation in trade and investment, education and skills development, and employment opportunities, including labour mobility.

The issues were discussed at three separate meetings held on October 14 in Bishkek between Foreign Secretary Ambassador Asad Alam Siam and the respective ministers and officials of Kyrgyzstan on the sidelines of the second Foreign Office Consultations (FOC).

At a meeting with Kyrgyzstan’s Deputy Minister of Economy and Commerce Meder Tumanov, the two sides discussed ways to expand bilateral trade, investment and economic cooperation.

They explored complementarities between the two countries in cotton production, textiles and the ready-made garment (RMG) sector, as well as their comparative advantages, market potential in Eurasia and opportunities for partnership in the pharmaceutical sector.

Both sides emphasised enhancing private-sector engagement, exchanging business delegations, participating in exhibitions and utilising the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) facilities for wider access to Eurasian and European Union markets.

At a separate meeting with Kyrgyzstan’s First Deputy Minister of Labour, Social Security and Migration Arlen Aliyasov, the foreign secretary discussed employment opportunities and the mobility of Bangladeshi workers.

Given the extensive development activities undertaken in Kyrgyzstan in recent years, the country plans to recruit more workers from abroad in sectors such as construction, textiles, pharmaceuticals, digital services, agriculture and teaching.

The two sides also discussed strengthening government-to-government (G2G) cooperation and signing an MoU between the relevant government authorities of the two countries.

The Kyrgyz labour minister expressed his desire to visit Bangladesh at a mutually convenient time.

During another meeting, Siam met Kyrgyzstan’s Minister of Science, Higher Education and Innovation Gulzat Isamatova to discuss strengthening cooperation in education.

Isamatova indicated that the number of scholarships for Bangladeshi students could be increased in the future.

Invited by the foreign secretary, the Kyrgyz minister expressed her willingness to visit Bangladesh at a convenient time.

The Bangladesh delegation included Ambassador to Tashkent Dr M Monirul Islam and Foreign Ministry Director General (East Europe and CIS) SM Mahbubul Alam.