[🇧🇩] Economic, Political and Strategic Relations Between Bangladesh and Australia

[Saif]

The way ahead for Bangladesh-Australia trade relations
​

Australia is a multicultural country with a diverse population drawn from various parts of the world. It is also a popular destination for international students and skilled migrants, including those from Bangladesh. Around 11,000 Bangladeshi students were enrolled in Australian universities last year. Currently, about 100,000 Bangladeshi diaspora live in Australia and are contributing to Australian nation-building efforts. Australia recognised Bangladesh on January 31, 1972 and was the first among the developed nations that influenced recognition from other countries. The then Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam visited Dhaka in January 1975 and met Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, giving Bangladesh-Australia relations a strong beginning. Although the momentum in bilateral relations was not sustained in the subsequent period, Australian support is seen in the reconstruction of Bangladesh and the field of socioeconomic development still today.

Given Bangladesh's emergence as a middle-income economy in the Indian Ocean region, Australia is interested in strengthening economic ties with the country, especially considering the present geopolitical situation.

Australia considers Bangladesh a key trade partner as the latter is the 27th trading partner of the former. Australia's interest in Bangladesh has increased due to Bangladesh's enhanced capacity to export in significant quantities to the Australian market and take in more Australian exports. The two countries signed a Trade and Investment Framework Arrangement (TIFA) together in 2021. This TIFA introduced new opportunities to boost bilateral trade and investment. Despite not being a regulatory obligation, TIFA serves as a platform to identify areas of comprehensive cooperation and create a favourable environment for trade liberalisation, thereby increasing trade and investment flow between the two countries. The TIFA facilitates the trade of new products, resulting in positive outcomes for both countries. A Joint Working Group was formed under TIFA, with due representations of relevant sectors and sub-sectors from both countries. The JWG is working to offer a mechanism to take forward discussions to realise fuller trade and investment possibilities. Two meetings of the JWG were held in Canberra and in Dhaka, with the third scheduled for May in Canberra. Australia has assured that it will continue the Duty-Free Quota-Free (DFQF) access for Bangladesh's products even after the latter's graduation from the LDC category, as agreed upon in the first JWG meeting. "Graduation from LDC status would not make any changes to existing access of Bangladesh's products to the Australian market," also confirmed by Senator Tim Ayres, Australian Assistant Minister for Trade, in a meeting with the Bangladesh High Commissioner to Australia, M Allama Siddiki, last year.

Two-way trade between Australia and Bangladesh now stands at more than AUD 4 billion, up from less than AUD 300 million about a decade back, thus registering the highest growth among all Australian trade partners. Australia is the 10th export market for Bangladesh. Two-way trade between Bangladesh and Australia grew at an average of over 11 percent annually over the last decade. Compared to 2021, Bangladesh's exports to Australia increased by about 38 percent last year. Although Australia is a relatively new trade partner for Bangladesh, the country is playing an important role in importing ready-made garments. Bangladesh exports about $1.5 billion annually to Australia in ready-made garment products, which is about 93 percent of Bangladesh's exports to the country. Bangladesh has captured approximately 12 percent of the Australian market in this particular sector.

But even though bilateral trade has increased significantly in recent years, both countries have yet to fully utilise their potential.

The Bangladesh High Commission in Australia has already taken various initiatives to promote Bangladeshi products. Last year, Bangladeshi companies participated in two trade fairs in Australia's largest cities, Sydney and Melbourne, under the initiatives of the High Commission. The Sydney fair was attended by 22 Bangladeshi public and private organisations, while 19 participated in the Melbourne fair. The Bangladesh Apparel Summit was held in Melbourne last year, organised by the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and supported by the Bangladesh High Commission. The event signified a milestone in fostering collaboration and strengthening the bond between the apparel manufacturing industries of Bangladesh and Australian retailers.

Bangladesh can import a range of essential and agricultural products from Australia, including liquefied natural gas, wool, wheat, and pulses. Australia offers a variety of quality products that can be imported quickly and cost-effectively, making it a better option for Bangladesh than the US or European countries. There are also ample opportunities for increased trade and investment between the two countries, particularly in the areas of cotton, minerals, fintech, ITES, education, and skill development. Australia is keen on exporting wool to Bangladesh, while the garment sector in Bangladesh could benefit from processing Australian wool. Australia could also take steps to identify investment opportunities in Bangladesh, specifically in infrastructure, IT, and other prospective sectors. Bangladesh's 100 Special Economic Zones can be an attractive destination for Australian investors, too.

Bilateral trade between the two countries can grow significantly by introducing new products to benefit both economies. Beyond diversification of products, trade in services, particularly in education, skills development, and financial services, are prospective areas. Australia has the potential to meet Bangladesh's increasing education, training, and energy needs. The country also offers world-class expertise in agriculture and infrastructure development. Bangladesh can thus develop and modernise its educational curriculum, emphasising the demand for skilled manpower, technical skills, and English education in developed countries, including Australia. And though there is no scope to export unskilled or low-skilled manpower to Australia, the country can provide world-class technical and vocational training to Bangladeshis. While Bangladesh is set to graduate from a least-developed country to a developing country, it is crucial to upskill its workforce to be globally competitive. Bangladesh can seek the support of Australia in capacity building and human resource development through technical and vocational education cooperation.

Australia's support in the agricultural sector, particularly in food processing and refrigeration technology, as well as quality control, can be beneficial for Bangladesh. There is no barrier to launching direct air connectivity between Bangladesh and Australia as per the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the two countries. Airlines of both countries can initiate direct flights at any time. The Bangladesh side emphasised the need for agreements to avoid double taxation and protect investment to further strengthen bilateral trade relations with Australia at the JWG meetings. Besides, people-to-people contacts and exchange of sports and culture between the two countries can further develop bilateral relations.

Greater understanding between Bangladesh and Australia under TIFA is expected to increase student mobility, skilled manpower and knowledge and technology sharing. Following the initiative by the Bangladesh High Commission in Australia, 18 more universities from Bangladesh have been added to Australia's education profile in 2023. This integration with the existing 12 universities will make it easier for graduates of a total of 30 public and private universities in Bangladesh to access Australian universities, research, and education. Furthermore, the Bangladesh High Commission is working towards signing MoUs between some universities in Bangladesh and Australia, which will expand the field of higher education and research between the two countries.

Bangladesh is focused on building and preserving peace and stability in the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean region, and would like to keep its development journey uninterrupted. In this context, Bangladesh's close engagement with Australia, one of the major players in the Indian Ocean region, will impact regional peace, stability, and security, as well as the development of economic relations between the two countries. Bangladesh is making an effort to become more economically connected to Australia by jointly exploring vast areas of cooperation. Exchange of high-level political and business visits in the coming months is expected to strengthen further political and economic relations between both nations.

Md Tohidul Islam is a counsellor at the Bangladesh High Commission in Canberra, Australia.​

 

[Saif]

Australian FM's Visit: Trade, Rohingya, regional security to get priority

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong is scheduled to pay an official visit to Bangladesh on May 21-22 to strengthen bilateral relationship with Bangladesh and find ways to boost cooperation for regional peace, prosperity, and security

www.thedailystar.net

Australian FM's Visit: Trade, Rohingya, regional security to get priority

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong. Photo: UNB

Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong is scheduled to pay an official visit to Bangladesh on May 21-22 to strengthen bilateral relationship with Bangladesh and find ways to boost cooperation for regional peace, prosperity, and security.

Issues related to the promotion of trade and investment, sustainable and renewable energy production, Rohingya crisis, maritime security, technology transfer and free and open Indo-Pacific region are likely to be discussed during her visit, officials said here on Sunday.

Penny Wong is likely to have a courtesy meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina apart from holding a bilateral meeting with her Bangladesh counterpart Hasan Mahmud, a senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told UNB.

A small delegation including Deputy Secretary of South and Southeast Asia Group and Head of the Office of Southeast Asia, in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade Michelle Chan will accompany the Australian foreign minister, he said.

The Australian minister is likely to visit the Rohingya camp during her visit to see the situation there.

Bangladesh seeks Australia's support in keeping the Rohingya issue alive globally with a view to the ultimate repatriation of the forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals sheltered in Bangladesh.

Australia has a commitment to continue the humanitarian assistance for the Rohingyas and support Bangladesh in their repatriation effort.

The forthcoming visit by the Australian foreign minister demonstrates the country's growing interest in Bangladesh, an Australian diplomat told UNB.

Australia recently sent a defence advisor to its High Commission in Dhaka, and, reciprocally, they welcomed a defence advisor from Bangladesh in Australia.

From Australia's perspective, the defence adviser is a symbol of their "intention and willingness" to cooperate on defence matters.

The two countries are scheduled to hold the 5th Foreign Office Consultation (FOC) in Australia next month, said an official.

The 4th FOC was held in Dhaka in March last year.

The two-way trade now stands at around US$ 4 billion, reflecting Bangladesh's significant economic growth and its highly complementary commercial strengths.​

 

[Saif]

Australia to provide more funds to support Bangladesh economic reforms: Penny Wong

Visiting Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Tuesday said that her country would provide additional economic assistance to support Bangladesh’s economic reforms and to support its graduation from LDC status. “We will provide additional funding to orchestrate the Australian Trade

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Australia to provide more funds to support Bangladesh economic reforms: Penny Wong
FE ONLINE REPORT
Published :
May 21, 2024 20:20
Updated :
May 21, 2024 21:33

Visiting Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on Tuesday said that her country would provide additional economic assistance to support Bangladesh's economic reforms and to support its graduation from LDC status.

"We will provide additional funding to orchestrate the Australian Trade agency to deliver deeper economic engagement," Ms Wong told a media briefing after the bilateral meeting with her Bangladeshi counterpart Dr Hasan Mahmud.

The Australian minister said that her country would also provide additional funds to help Bangladesh align its labour laws with the requirements and aspirations of that graduation.

To read the rest of the news, please click on the link above.​

 

[Saif]

Bangladesh, Australia hail growing strategic depth, dimensions in ties

Bangladesh and Australia are committed to working together to find practical solutions to the shared contemporary challenges, including maritime security threats, climate change, cybercrimes and countering trafficking in persons. Both countries also appreciated the growing strategic depth and dime

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Bangladesh, Australia hail growing strategic depth, dimensions in ties
BSS
Published :
May 22, 2024 18:49
Updated :
May 22, 2024 19:10

Bangladesh and Australia are committed to working together to find practical solutions to the shared contemporary challenges, including maritime security threats, climate change, cybercrimes and countering trafficking in persons.

Both countries also appreciated the growing strategic depth and dimensions of bilateral relations between Dhaka and Canberra.

These were observed at the bilateral meeting with Bangladesh foreign minister Dr Hasan Mahmud and his Australian counterpart Penny Wong that was held on Tuesday in Dhaka, according to a joint statement issued in Dhaka on Wednesday.

To read the rest of the news, please click on the link above.​

 

[Saif]

Australian involvement in the Bangladesh Liberation War

If you think about the international reaction to the Bangladesh Liberation War, you most likely would consider the United States government openly siding with Pakistan.

www.thedailystar.net

Australian involvement in the Bangladesh Liberation War

Moira Dynon outside her home counting cans of donated condensed milk before dispatch to India.

If you think about the international reaction to the Bangladesh Liberation War, you most likely would consider the United States government openly siding with Pakistan. The People's Republic of China, Sri Lanka, and the Arab world also aligned that country. Many western nations – such as the United Kingdom – remained neutral in what they considered a civil conflict rather than a war of secession.

Apart from India and the USSR, it seemed that the Bangladesh liberation movement had few allies. My recently published book, Citizen-Driven Humanitarianism and the Bangladesh Liberation War: Australian Aid during the 1971 Refugee Crisis, presents a different picture. In this book I show that when we look beyond the official stance of the Australian government and consider the perspectives of ordinary citizens, we find a populace deeply affected by Bangladeshis' struggle for freedom.

On 29 March 1971, broadsheet The Age (Australia's newspaper of record), reported on the brutality of the early days of the war, repeating the claim by the Press Trust of India that the Pakistani military had killed more than 10,000 people, including civilians, in just two days. By reporting the war in such terms, Australian journalists laid the groundwork for Australian citizens to understand the conflict through the frame of Pakistani suppression of Bangladeshi demands for independence.

In its 29 March editorial, The Age stated that East Pakistan was a 'besieged province', 'confronted by military forces far stronger' than its own, and therefore had no choice but to declare independence and abandon its legitimate claims for greater regional autonomy. Interestingly, The Age foreshadowed the unlikelihood of a political solution to the conflict. The editor wrote: 'A nation cannot be held together indefinitely by the military repression of a hostile majority of people. To the existing differences of race, custom, language and geography will be added an insuperable barrier of hatred and resentment.'

Within days of the onset of hostilities then, Australians were informed not only of the tragic events unfolding in Bangladesh but also understood the origins of the conflict and why Bangladeshis wanted their freedom.

A mother and her young daughter placing money in a collection tin in Sydney.
Australian humanitarian responses

My research explores how and why Australian citizens provided humanitarian relief to Bangladeshi refugees in India. While the responses of governments are important, they can never tell the whole story. Indeed, Australian aid to Bangladeshi refugees is an example of civil society leading government action. Typically, one would assume that governments lead the people. During the 1971 Liberation War, the opposite was true as citizens influenced government policies, not just on aid but also on the formal recognition of Bangladesh as an independent state.

In essence, my book is about how citizens and non-government organisations (NGOs) mobilised, fundraised, and distributed aid in a region far from their homes and to individuals with whom they had little in common. Through my research, I found Australians from a cross-section of society who were outraged at the extent of human suffering in the refugee camps, appalled by the injustice of Yahya's military rule and believed that poverty was completely avoidable, if states chose to alleviate it.

My book includes chapters on the aid activities of an array of humanitarian agencies. Chapters cover the activities of the international Red Cross, transnational Christian agencies, and grassroots organisations such as the Freedom from Hunger Campaign.

It is important to note that in 1971, the Australian humanitarian NGO landscape was an over-crowded market. Each organisation competed for brand recognition, prestige, access to political power, and of course, donor dollars. We naturally think of humanitarian NGOs as benign actors. However, my book shows the extent of competition within the sector as they attempted to gain market dominance and outdo one another.

Two workers at the Freedom from Hunger Campaign office deliberating on how best to solicit public donations from a brochure.
Citizen humanitarianism: an untold history

The final chapter of my book explores humanitarian actions of individuals. This includes a comprehensive analysis of over 2,500 letters written by Australian citizen to their politicians urging the government to give more aid. These letters are a rare find in the National Archives of Australia (NAA) and provide valuable new insights into how Australians of all backgrounds understood the conflict in Bangladesh and how they thought they could help. I found myself particularly moved by letters written by children, even though they were ineligible to vote.

Here are two examples:

Less than one month into the conflict, 11-year-old Vicki O'Meara from a middle-class suburb in Melbourne wrote:

Dear Sir,

I know A$10,000,000 [US$85 million in today's money] is a lot of money but I think you could spare it for the poor Pakistan refugees. If all the people in Australia were starving, then I don't think you'd have much trouble in finding the $10,000,000. It's just that they are a long way away from us and it is hard for us to imagine what it would be like. Please hurry and send the $10,000,000 quickly before it is too late and there will not be any cause because the refugees will all be dead.

What I value in the letters penned by children is that they avoid clichés, are blunt, and usually show a sophisticated understanding of global issues well beyond their years.

In this second example, 10-year-old Belinda Babovic wrote to Opposition Leader (and later Prime Minister) Gough Whitlam from a working-class suburb in Canberra, the nation's capital. In the letter, Belinda wrote in pencil and sparsely used pen for emphasis on particular words. Here, Belinda reveals the importance of television and visual imagery in helping her understand the scale of the refugee crisis. She also discloses that she has been praying for the Australian prime minister to donate more money. The role of news media and religious conviction were repeatedly cited by many Australians in their letters to political leaders.

It was not just affluent Australians who expressed concern about the plight of Bangladeshi refugees. In this example, 10-year-old Belinda Babovic wrote to Opposition Leader (and later Prime Minister) Gough Whitlam from a working-class suburb in Canberra, the nation's capital. In the letter, Belinda wrote in pencil and sparsely used pen for emphasis on particular words.

Hunger strikes

Aside from writing to politicians, citizens also engaged in public performances that inspired onlookers to learn more about the Bangladesh liberation movement in general and the suffering of refugees in particular. For example, Indonesian-born poet Paul Poernomo staged an extended hunger strike on the steps of the Melbourne General Post Office to draw attention to the starvation faced by Bangladeshi refugees. As the weeks rolled on, passers-by gave coins to his donation tin, money that was then forwarded on to the Freedom from Hunger Campaign, which had aid distribution staff working in the West Bengal refugee camps.

The 36-year-old Poernomo took his hunger strike (along with a ragtag of followers) to Canberra. Poernomo fasted for two weeks, this time on the steps of Parliament House. He attracted the attention of politicians and journalists, both of whom promoted and broadcast Poernomo's cause to the nation at large.

After a short stint in hospital due to extreme dehydration, Poernomo continued his fasting tour around the country. He staged his final hunger strike outside the Sydney General Post Office. As in Melbourne, passers-by donated money to support refugee relief activities.

The impacts of Poernomo's hunger strike were far-reaching. At a minimum, Poernomo single-handedly raised A$50,000 for the Freedom from Hunger Campaign, making 1971 its most successful year to date. Beyond donations, Poernomo inspired thousands of citizens to lobby their political representatives, urging the Australian government to do more for Bangladeshi refugees and officially support Bangladeshi independence.

Individual activism

Paul Poernomo was not the only example of an Australian going to extreme lengths to help Bangladeshis. Melbourne upper-class housewife and Catholic humanitarian, Moira Dynon, had a long history of donating powdered and condensed milk to India throughout the 1960s. When the Bhola cyclone hit in 1970, she turned her attention to East Pakistan. Her humanitarian activities increased again when war broke out in 1971. Unlike large, international NGOs, Dynon was an advocate of person-to-person humanitarianism. By focusing on friendship, goodwill and cooperation, Dynon stressed the importance of personal relationships. She believed that every individual could, and should, make a difference to ease avoidable suffering.

Dynon also proved to be a tireless worker, willing to travel great distances to spread her message. Throughout 1971, Dynon engaged in a speaking tour across Australia, educating Australians on the history and politics of Bangladesh, and why its people demanded independence from Pakistan. She urged her audience to donate money and goods to her small aid agency, which was then forwarded to the West Bengal Council of Women for distribution in the refugee camps.

Broader significance

The examples listed above may seem insignificant on their own. But what they shows is that collectively individual actions can shape public opinion, which then has the capacity to change government policy. In the case of Australia during the Bangladesh Liberation War, the actions of individuals helped push risk-averse politicians to take a moral stand that was at odds with its main ally, the United States. Within the space of 10 months, Australian government policy moved from declared neutrality to supporting openly Bangladeshi independence, even if that meant attracting retaliation from Pakistan and the ire of America. Australian government aid was also increased on five occasions, again in response to public pressure. It is important to note that private aid (that is, donations from Australian citizens) far outstripped government assistance.

From the Australian perspective, the lessons of this event in history are two-fold: one, it provides a rare example of people leading the government, rather than the other way around. It is an inspiring tale of individuals taking action, which had ripple effects throughout Australian society. Two, it shows that Australians educated themselves on the events unfolding in Bangladesh, rather than blindly following the Cold War logic of the United States, which pitted capitalist Pakistan against socialist Bangladesh. This episode reveals Australians as deeply engaged with their Indian Ocean neighbours and committed to creating a just world free from persecution and oppression. I can only hope that Australians and Bangladeshis will remain good neighbours as they confront the complex challenges of the twenty-first century.

Rachel Stevens is a Lecturer in History at the Institute for Humanities and Social Sciences, Australian Catholic University in Melbourne.​

 

[Saif]

Chief Adviser urges Australia to increase regular migration from Bangladesh

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Thursday urged the Australian government to regularise migrants and increase regular migration from Bangladesh. He came up with the call when Australia’s Home Minister Tony Burke called on him (Chief Adviser) at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka.

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Chief Adviser urges Australia to increase regular migration from Bangladesh
BSS
Published :
Oct 31, 2024 21:03
Updated :
Oct 31, 2024 21:03

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Thursday urged the Australian government to regularise migrants and increase regular migration from Bangladesh.

He came up with the call when Australia’s Home Minister Tony Burke called on him (Chief Adviser) at the State Guest House Jamuna in Dhaka.

During the meeting, the visiting Australian minister, the most high-profile Australian official to have visited Bangladesh since the interim government took over, raised the issue of irregular migration from Bangladesh, saying his government would like to start negotiations over the matter.

He said they were considering an increased number of regular migrations from Bangladesh.

He told the Chief Adviser about their plan to bring its visa centre back to Dhaka and hold negotiations to prevent irregular migration between Bangladesh and Australia.

Prof Yunus thanked the minister for visiting Bangladesh at a crucial time for the country and for supporting the interim government in its efforts to carry out much-needed reforms.

Burke, whose constituency is home to a large number of Bangladeshi diaspora, said he followed events in the country with much interest and witnessed their big celebrations after the fall of the dictatorial regime.

“There is a lot of optimism and hope,” he said about the post-revolution expectations.

The Chief Adviser admitted that the task of rebuilding the country was big since the dictatorship destroyed all institutions and the economy was in shambles.

“The challenges are big. Dealing with expectations is the most difficult part. But people are patient. We’ve got to build the structures again,” he said.

Bangladesh’s rich history, including the historic Language Movement, also came up during the discussion. “The seed of our independence came from this movement,” Prof Yunus said.

The Chief Adviser discussed the work of the commissions including the five-member Disappearance Investigation Panel, which is probing hundreds of cases of enforced disappearances that occurred during the dictatorship.

Prof Yunus handed a copy of the Art of Triumph, a book on the graffiti and murals drawn on the walls of the cities and towns in the country during the mass uprising.

The Australian home minister appreciated the gift, saying he would visit some parts of the city to look at the arts himself.​

 

[Saif]

Australia to reopen visa centre in Dhaka

Australia’s home minister Tony Burke conveyed to chief adviser professor Muhammad Yunus about his country’s plan to bring its visa centre back to Dhaka and hold negotiations to prevent irregular migration...

www.newagebd.net

Australia to reopen visa centre in Dhaka
Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha . Dhaka 01 November, 2024, 00:35

Australia’s home minister Tony Burke calls on chief adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the state guest house Jamuna in the capital on Thursday. | PID photo

Australia’s home minister Tony Burke conveyed to chief adviser professor Muhammad Yunus about his country’s plan to bring its visa centre back to Dhaka and hold negotiations to prevent irregular migration between Bangladesh and Australia.

Tony Burke, also leader of the House of Australia, called on the chief adviser at the state guest house Jamuna on Thursday while professor Yunus urged the Australian government to regularise migrants and increase regular migration from Bangladesh.​

 

[Saif]

Bangladesh, Australia keen to deepen cooperation

Bangladesh and Australia have shown keen interest in deepening cooperation on development partnerships, strategic and regional issues with the spirit of mutual understanding. The interest was reflected at the Fifth Senior Officials Talks between Bangladesh and Australia held today at the Departmen

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Bangladesh, Australia keen to deepen cooperation
BSS
Published :
Nov 26, 2024 21:19
Updated :
Nov 26, 2024 21:19

Bangladesh and Australia have shown keen interest in deepening cooperation on development partnerships, strategic and regional issues with the spirit of mutual understanding.

The interest was reflected at the Fifth Senior Officials Talks between Bangladesh and Australia held today at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) of Australia in Canberra, according to a foreign ministry press release issued in Dhaka this evening.

Bangladesh Foreign Ministry’s Additional Foreign Secretary (Bilateral-East & West) Md. Nazrul Islam and Australian South and Central Asia Division under Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade First Assistant Secretary Sarah Storey led the delegations of their respective sides.

High-level government officials of relevant departments along with mission officials of both countries were also present during the talks.

The discussion also covered a wide array of issues, including sectoral cooperation, migration issues, civil maritime cooperation, security and defense cooperation, and cooperation in multilateral fora.

Bangladesh urged Australia to play a more proactive role in pursuing a global community to put collective political pressure on Myanmar for an enduring solution to the Rohingya problem.

Recognising Australia’s continued support in Bangladesh’s development efforts since independence, Bangladesh sought technical and expert support from Australia in its agriculture, education, energy, blue economy, and ICT sectors.

Reiterating Australia’s steadfast support for the current interim government, the Canberra side sought Dhaka’s assistance in addressing irregular migrant issues, handling of people smuggling and trafficking in persons, as well as transnational organised crimes.

While appreciating Bangladesh’s economic and social development, Australian delegation expressed its keen interest in working more closely with Bangladesh on issues of mutual interest in the days to come.

Climate change featured prominently in the talks, with both countries reaffirming their commitment to addressing global environmental challenges.

Australia acknowledged Bangladesh’s vulnerability to climate impacts and pledged continued support for Bangladesh’s climate adaptation and resilience efforts.

Regional and global issues of mutual interest, including Indo-Pacific outlook, counter-terrorism, and multilateral cooperation, were also on the agenda.

The talks reflected the shared commitment to upholding peace, security, and prosperity in the region.

The officials expressed satisfaction with the progress made in the bilateral relationship and identified areas for further collaboration.

They reiterated their dedication to strengthening ties and working together to address shared challenges.

Both sides underscored the importance of regular exchange of visits, including at the highest level, as well as regular contacts and interaction between leaders and officials, to take forward bilateral cooperation to a new level.

The next round of senior officials’ talks will be held in Dhaka in 2025.​