BD, Tajikistan agree to expand ties at maiden FOC

Bangladesh and Tajikistan have agreed to expand bilateral cooperation in mineral resources, trade and investment while strengthening overall relations during their first-ever Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) held in Dhaka on Wednesday.

The two countries discussed possible cooperation in mineral resources, including benefiting from Tajikistan's vast reserves and expertise in gold, aluminium, zinc, copper, lead and silver. On trade, investment and economic cooperation, both sides agreed to encourage greater private sector interaction and exchanges of business delegations to realise the potential between the two countries, according to a Foreign Ministry release issued on Thursday.

Ambassador Asad Alam Siam, Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh, and Idibek Kalandar, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Tajikistan, led their respective delegations. Before the consultations, the two sides signed a MoU on Foreign Office Consultations to institutionalise a regular consultation mechanism. They also signed a MoU on collaboration between the diplomatic training institutes of the two countries.

Both sides attached high priority to recalibrating and expanding bilateral relations and stressed the need to deepen political cohesion. They proposed reciprocal visits by the foreign ministers and discussed forming a Bangladesh-Tajikistan Parliamentary Friendship Group to enhance interaction among parliamentarians.

Bangladesh briefed the Tajik delegation on its global leadership in ready-made garments (RMG), jute and jute products, and the pharmaceutical industry. It invited Tajik investors to explore the investment-friendly climate in Bangladesh's Special Economic Zones and proposed forming a Joint Working Group (JWG) on Trade and Economic Cooperation, signing a MoU between the apex chambers of the two countries, and inviting an exploratory mission of the Tajik private sector.

The two countries also discussed greater people-to-people exchanges, including cooperation in education and sports, exchanges of students, youths, tourists and cultural troupes, and employment opportunities for highly skilled and semi-skilled workforce from Bangladesh to Tajikistan.

The delegations agreed to conclude at the earliest bilateral instruments on trade and economic cooperation, cultural cooperation, visa waiver for diplomatic and official passport holders, tourism promotion, avoidance of double taxation, promotion and protection of investments, and cooperation in industry.

Both sides also agreed to deepen regional and global coordination and reaffirm mutual support across international platforms, including the UN and the OIC. Bangladesh thanked Tajikistan for supporting its candidature for the Presidency of the 81st United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).