Bangladesh, Singapore agree to deepen ties
Published: 23 July 2026, 3:22:26
Photo courtesy: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh
Foreign Ministers of Bangladesh and Singapore held a bilateral meeting on Thursday on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum Foreign Ministers Meeting in Manila, agreeing to translate their strong diplomatic and people-to-people ties into further mutually beneficial cooperation.
Singaporean Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan congratulated Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman on his election as President of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Rahman assured him that the concerns of small states, including Singapore, would remain among his priority issues during his tenure as President of the UN General Assembly.
During the meeting, the two sides agreed to further promote trade and investment, skilled migration and reciprocal support within multilateral organisations.
Balakrishnan acknowledged the valuable contribution of the Bangladeshi expatriate community to Singapore’s economic development and welcomed the migration of skilled Bangladeshi workers to the country.
Rahman sought Singapore’s support for Bangladesh’s aspiration to join ASEAN as a Sectoral Dialogue Partner and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).
He also sought Singapore’s support in finding a sustainable solution to the Rohingya crisis.
The two sides agreed to continue ongoing efforts to conclude a free trade agreement between Bangladesh and Singapore.
