Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir and Australian High Commissioner Susan Ryle met on 6 August at the commerce ministry in Dhaka to discuss expanding bilateral trade, investment, skills development and research cooperation.
Muktadir said the government plans long-term institutional training to improve officials' skills in international trade and WTO law, and is setting up a research and study center intended to become a regional knowledge-exchange hub.
Ryle said Australia is interested in supporting planned, sustained capacity-building programs covering trade negotiation, legal aspects of international agreements and policymaking, and mentioned the possible involvement of other development partners.
Ryle described bilateral trade at roughly 5.5 billion US dollars and growing, said an Australian business delegation is planning to visit Bangladesh soon, and said the talks covered potential Australian beef exports with cooperation on halal certification, animal traceability and modern livestock management.
The two sides discussed Bangladesh's trade preferences after graduation from least developed country status, its position in the international trading system and future market access, and stressed continuing regular dialogue.
In a separate meeting the same day, Indian High Commissioner Dinesh Trivedi met Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud at the energy ministry, with State Minister Anindya Islam Amit also present, to discuss stronger Bangladesh-India cooperation in power and energy.
The Indian High Commission said the two sides emphasized cross-border power and energy connectivity as an important element of the economic partnership and reaffirmed their commitment to energy security and sustainable development.
Mahmud said earlier that a request had been made to supply more energy to India through the pipeline.