Dhaka, May 06 (V7N) – Bangladesh has expressed its desire to engage in talks with Canada regarding a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in the future. This was raised during a meeting between Canada’s Indo-Pacific Trade Representative Paul Thoppil, who is visiting Dhaka, and Foreign Secretary Md. Jasim Uddin on Monday (May 5).

The Foreign Secretary also took the opportunity to request Canada to simplify the visa process for Bangladeshi students seeking to study in Canada.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Thoppil’s visit to Dhaka, following a hiatus of several years, underscores Canada’s growing engagement with Bangladesh. The meeting covered a broad spectrum of bilateral issues, including trade, investment, and development cooperation.

During the discussions, Foreign Secretary Md. Jasim Uddin highlighted Bangladesh’s ongoing economic reforms and encouraged Canadian investment in key sectors such as information and communication technology, infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, engineering, and renewable energy. Paul Thoppil, in turn, expressed the interest of Canadian companies in exploring opportunities within Bangladesh.

Both parties acknowledged the steady growth of bilateral trade, which has reached approximately US$3 billion. The Foreign Secretary also praised Canada’s duty-free, quota-free (DFQF) market access for Bangladeshi exports, while expressing optimism about the ongoing discussions on a Foreign Investment Protection and Promotion Agreement (FIPA). Additionally, he noted the possibility of initiating talks on an FTA in the near future. Thoppil emphasized that the FIPA would play a crucial role in building confidence among Canadian investors.

Further, the Foreign Secretary stressed the importance of simplifying the visa application process for students, facilitating greater educational exchange and skills development between the two countries. He also commended Canada’s humanitarian assistance to the Rohingya refugees and reiterated the need for international support to ensure their sustainable repatriation to Myanmar.

The meeting was also attended by Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Ajit Singh.

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