Japan MoUs Boost Bilateral Trade and Investment

Pakistan's High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Syed Ahmed Maroof, stressed that trade will be a key driver of future Pakistan-Bangladesh relations, enhancing economic, political, and cultural ties.

The equity market in Bangladesh has seen a surge in foreign investment since the political transition in August 2024. Foreign portfolio transactions on the Dhaka Stock Exchange rose to Tk 13.91 billion in July-September 2024, doubling the figure from the same period last year. Net portfolio investment by foreign investors also soared to $49 million in July-August FY25, compared to $3 million in the previous year.

Austrian companies are showing interest in investing in Bangladesh as part of efforts to enhance bilateral economic ties, according to Austria's non-resident ambassador, who visited Dhaka on November 18, 2024. During a meeting with the Chief Adviser, the envoy highlighted Austria's willingness to support Bangladesh's interim government in implementing sweeping reforms.

At the Bay of Bengal Conversation organized by the Centre for Governance Studies (CGS) in Dhaka on November 17, 2024, the Indian High Commissioner emphasized the enduring stability of India-Bangladesh relations, noting that despite political turbulence in Bangladesh, their bilateral ties continue to thrive across trade, transport, energy connectivity, and people-to-people exchanges.

Austrian Ambassador Katharina Wieser expressed interest in boosting economic ties with Bangladesh, highlighting Austrian companies' plans to invest, including a technical school near Dhaka. She assured support for Bangladesh's reforms, while Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus pledged cooperation and discussed migration, counterterrorism, and climate change. Wieser emphasized promoting legal migration, as Bangladeshis are Austria's sixth-largest migrant community.