Bangladesh and Sri Lanka have agreed to expand investment ties and explore new port connectivity initiatives as part of efforts to deepen bilateral cooperation. The commitments were made during the fourth round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC), held in Colombo on Thursday — the first such meeting in eight years.
Co-chaired by the foreign secretaries of both countries, the discussions covered a wide range of areas, including trade, investment, connectivity, defence, tourism, education, agriculture, fisheries, youth development, culture, health, digital innovation, and people-to-people exchanges.
Sri Lanka encouraged Bangladeshi businesses to consider opportunities in infrastructure development, logistics, agriculture, and tourism. Bangladesh, in turn, welcomed greater Sri Lankan investment in special economic zones and industrial parks, identifying strong potential in pharmaceuticals, ICT, hospitality, renewable energy, automobiles and light engineering, agro-processing, and footwear and leather manufacturing.
Both sides agreed to enhance trade facilitation and support private-sector engagement. They also discussed advancing the Trade and Shipping Joint Working Group and streamlining pharmaceutical product registration.
Connectivity was highlighted as a priority, with the two countries exploring the possibility of establishing direct port links between Chattogram and Colombo. Tourism collaboration was also discussed, with Sri Lanka proposing joint initiatives to promote green tourism and Bangladesh suggesting shared tourism circuits based on tea culture and Buddhist heritage.
In agriculture and fisheries, the two sides considered cooperation in deep-sea fishing, water resource management, livestock development, and freshwater fisheries. Bangladesh invited Sri Lankan farmers for training visits and sought Sri Lanka’s expertise in marine fisheries.
Regional collaboration through SAARC, BIMSTEC, and IORA was reaffirmed. Bangladesh requested Sri Lanka’s continued support for ensuring the safe, voluntary, and dignified return of Rohingya refugees.
During the visit, the Bangladeshi Foreign Secretary held courtesy meetings with Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment Arun Hemachandra. Bangladesh also invited Sri Lanka to host the fifth round of consultations in Dhaka next year.
Delegations from both countries included senior diplomats and officials from foreign affairs, trade, tourism, and maritime sectors.
