The new government in Bangladesh is seeking to deepen its engagement with Thailand and Asean, which may include the signing of a free trade agreement (FTA) and the establishment of direct maritime connectivity, Faiyaz Murshid Kazi, Bangladesh's ambassador to Thailand, says.

While marking this year's Bangladeshi Independence Day, the envoy paid tribute to the martyrs of its war of liberation and recalled Thailand's early recognition of its independence, which he called a foundation for the expansion of bilateral ties.

He said that recent political developments in both countries have created fresh momentum for closer cooperation.

"In the aftermath of the general elections held in our two countries at an interval of four days last month, it seems that we have arrived at yet another juncture where there is ample scope for our relations to scale further heights," he said.

The new administration under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman places a high priority on strengthening relations with Thailand and deepening engagement with Asean, he said.

On the economic front, Bangladesh is working to establish direct shipping connectivity with Thailand's western seaboard. Senior officials from both sides are expected to meet to explore the feasibility of an FTA.

Dhaka is also positioning itself as an attractive investment destination. Bangladesh officials cited "an enabling business environment and a young workforce available to meet sector-specific labour needs in Thailand".

Both countries are also enhancing cooperation to combat shared challenges, including human trafficking and online scams, they said.

"Our two countries continue to join hands to combat shared threats posed by trafficking in persons and forced criminality involving online scam centres," the ambassador said.

"We commend Thailand's contributions to humanitarian support for the Rohingya community from neighbouring Myanmar sheltered in our territory over the years," he said.

Source: BangkokPost

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