Bangladesh and Malaysia were scheduled to begin their first round of negotiations on a proposed free-trade agreement in Dhaka on October 27, with a 30-member Malaysian delegation arriving for the three-day talks.
Commerce Ministry public relations officer Kamal Hossain said on October 26 that the meetings were planned at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon hotel. The discussions are intended to explore preferential market access and broader bilateral trade cooperation.
Bangladesh is pursuing several trade agreements as it prepares for its scheduled graduation from least-developed-country status. Separate agreements signed with Japan and South Korea still require parliamentary ratification. The start of negotiations does not mean an FTA has been concluded.
Illustrative photo: Charles Forerunner/Unsplash.