Bangladesh and Russia have discussed expanding bilateral cooperation in several key sectors, including energy, agriculture, fisheries, trade, and investment, at the fifth meeting of their Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation in Dhaka.
The meeting was co-chaired by Shahriar Kader Siddiky, secretary of the Economic Relations Division (ERD), who led the Bangladesh delegation, and Ilya Shestakov, head of the Federal Agency for Fisheries of the Russian Federation, who led the Russian delegation, according to a press release issued on Thursday, 6 November.
Senior officials from relevant ministries, divisions, and agencies, as well as sectoral experts and representatives of companies and business communities from both nations, also attended the discussions.
The participants reviewed ongoing bilateral economic, business, and technical cooperation, and outlined future priorities under a newly agreed protocol between the two sides.
Both governments expressed a mutual interest in strengthening collaboration across economic affairs, trade, industry, agriculture, power, energy, education, and technical fields.
The Russian delegation emphasized the importance of further collaboration in trade, business, science and technology, information and communication technology, financial and banking services, culture, and sports.
Meanwhile, the Bangladesh side stressed the need to expand cooperation in power and energy, scientific and technical work in agriculture, fisheries and livestock, industry, investment, skills development, education, and research.
At the conclusion of the meeting, the two sides signed agreed minutes in the form of a protocol, formally recording the comprehensive areas of mutual interest discussed during the session.
Shahriar Kader Siddiky signed the protocol on behalf of the Bangladesh government, while Ilya Shestakov signed it on behalf of the Russian Federation.
The joint commission was originally established in 2017 under an agreement between Bangladesh and Russia to broaden bilateral cooperation, with four prior meetings held before the fifth session convened in Dhaka.
Why it matters
This intergovernmental meeting formalizes bilateral commitments between Bangladesh and Russia to expand strategic economic and energy cooperation.