Bangladesh’s bilateral trade with Italy surpassed $3 billion last year, announced Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun. Speaking as the chief guest at Italy’s National Day reception in Dhaka’s Gulshan on June 2, he emphasized the potential for further expanding this trade relationship.
“We see substantial opportunities for Italian investment in sectors such as textiles, leather products, renewable energy, waste-to-energy, agro-processing, automotive vehicles, engineering, maritime, and IT,” Humayun stated.
Italian Ambassador to Bangladesh, Antonio Alessandro, along with his wife, welcomed guests at the reception.
Minister Humayun highlighted the shared camaraderie between the people of Bangladesh and Italy. He recalled Italy’s early recognition of Bangladesh’s independence on February 12, 1972, and celebrated the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2022 with various activities.
He noted that bilateral relations are evolving into a broader strategic partnership. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s landmark visit to Rome in July 2023 and her meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni marked a significant step in this transition. Recent collaborations in trade, investment, energy, defense, migration, mobility, and culture have shown notable progress.
“Italy has been a steadfast friend and a partner in our journey towards becoming a developed nation,” Humayun remarked, praising Italy for hosting the second-largest Bangladeshi diaspora in Europe. He appreciated the Italian government’s inclusion of Bangladesh in the Flussi Decree for the third consecutive year since 2021, facilitating legal migration.
“I hope our bilateral relations will continue to strengthen, helping us realize the vision of ‘Sonar Bangla’ as envisioned by our Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman,” he said.
Italian Ambassador Antonio Alessandro expressed pride in hosting the largest Bangladeshi community in continental Europe. He highlighted their significant contributions to both Italy and Bangladesh, with €1.2 billion in remittances sent back to Bangladesh in 2022.
The ambassador acknowledged Bangladesh’s impressive social progress since independence and Italy’s role in this success through bilateral and multilateral Official Development Assistance (ODA). He emphasized Italy’s commitment to supporting Bangladesh in addressing new challenges, including climate change adaptation, labor standards improvement, and managing migration flows.
Alessandro stressed the need for thorough cost-benefit analyses in Bangladesh’s infrastructure projects to ensure optimal resource utilization. He noted the interest of Italian companies in various sectors, including energy, space technologies, textiles, and leather.
“Bangladesh’s strength lies in its water resources. Like Italy, a sustainable maritime system is crucial for the future. There are many opportunities for cooperation in this area that I look forward to exploring during my tenure in Dhaka,” he added.
The ambassador also mentioned scholarships provided by the Italian government, universities, and regional governments to Bangladeshi students, along with Erasmus+ scholarships that attract many Bangladeshi recipients.
The reception was attended by politicians, business leaders, top civil and military officials, representatives of partner organizations, civil society members, and journalists.
