Staff Reporter:
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam yesterday expressed interest for more employ-ment opportunities for Bangladeshi workers in Brunei Darussalam.
She expressed the interest when Brunei Darussalam High Commissioner to Bangladesh Haji Haris Bin Othman paid a courtesy call on her at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here, said a ministry’s press re-lease.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed ways to further strengthen bilateral cooperation, particularly in manpower, trade and investment, energy and air connectivity.
Shama underscored Bangladesh’s interest in expanding access to Brunei’s labour market, creating greater employment opportunities for Bangladeshi nationals.
Turning to economic relations, the state minister called for stronger business-to-business engagement to unlock the untapped potential of bilateral trade and investment.
She also proposed greater collaboration between women entrepreneurs of the two countries and estab-lishment of a Bangladesh-Brunei Chamber of Commerce to deepen private-sector engagement.
The Brunei High Commissioner welcomed the proposals and reaffirmed his country’s commitment to broadening trade and investment cooperation with Bangladesh.
Shama Obaed sought greater market access in Brunei for its pharmaceuticals, jute products, agricultural commodities and mangoes.
The two sides agreed to form a joint business group comprising chambers of commerce, entrepreneurs and investors from Bangladesh and Brunei.
