Bangladesh underscored the importance of maintaining preferential market access with the European Union (EU) today, stressing the need to sustain such benefits through possible instruments like a Free Trade Agreement and an Investment Protection Agreement.

The issue came up at the fifth Bangladesh-EU Diplomatic Consultations held in Dhaka after a gap of nearly five years.

The meeting was co-chaired by Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam and Managing Director for Asia Pacific of the European External Action Service Erik Kurzweil, according to a foreign ministry’s press release. 

The consultations reviewed the current state of Bangladesh-EU relations and explored avenues for further engagement in priority sectors.

Both sides welcomed the recent initialling of the Bangladesh-EU Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), expressing hope that, after completion of internal procedures, it would provide a structured and comprehensive framework for future cooperation.

The EU also acknowledged Bangladesh’s successful conduct of the February 2026 parliamentary elections, referring to the final report of the EU Election Observation Mission.

The two sides also exchanged views on democratic governance, human rights and the rule of law.

Bangladesh expressed interest in strengthening cooperation in research and innovation through wider participation in Horizon Europe and through joint initiatives on knowledge exchange, technology transfer and capacity building.

Migration and skills development also featured in the discussions, with Bangladesh outlining progress in labour reforms and stressing the importance of expanding safe and regular migration pathways.

The two sides also discussed stronger cooperation to combat human trafficking and irregular migration.

On climate change, Bangladesh reiterated its vulnerabilities and called for enhanced access to climate finance, technology transfer and support for adaptation and resilience efforts, including under the EU’s Global Gateway initiative.

The consultations also covered regional and global developments, including the current Middle East crisis.

Bangladesh reiterated the need for stronger and sustained international attention to resolve the Rohingya crisis.

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to multilateralism and a rules-based international order and appreciated the importance of holding regular consultations to unlock the full potential of Bangladesh-EU relations.