Bangladesh and Russia have agreed to expand bilateral economic cooperation, with a focus on trade, investment, energy, agriculture, industry and technology, following the fifth meeting of their intergovernmental commission in Dhaka.
The two sides reviewed ongoing economic and technical cooperation and identified future priorities at the meeting of the Bangladesh-Russia Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation (IGC) held on at the Economic Relations Division (ERD) on Friday, according to a release.
The Russian delegation expressed interest in expanding collaboration in trade and business, agriculture, science and technology, information and communications technology (ICT), financial and banking services, as well as cultural and sports activities.
Bangladesh, meanwhile, emphasised greater cooperation in power and energy, agricultural technology, fisheries and livestock, industry and investment, with particular importance attached to skills development, education and research.
The meeting was chaired by Economic Relations Division Secretary Md Shahriar Kader Siddiky for Bangladesh, while Ilya Shestakov, head of the Federal Agency for Fisheries of the Russian Federation, led the Russian delegation.
Senior officials from relevant ministries, divisions and agencies, sectoral experts, representatives of companies and partner organisations, and business representatives from both countries attended.
At the conclusion of the discussions, both sides formally recorded their areas of interest and signed agreed minutes in the form of a protocol. Siddiky signed the document on behalf of Bangladesh, while Shestakov signed for Russia.
Established in 2017 under an agreement between the two governments, the intergovernmental commission provides a platform for expanding bilateral trade, economic, scientific and technical cooperation.
Four meetings of the commission had been held in Dhaka since its establishment, with the latest being the fifth.