Diplomatic Desk:
The 74th anniversary of Egypt’s historic July Revolution of 1952 was celebrated with grandeur at the initiative of the Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt in Bangladesh. The event, held at a prestigious hotel in the capital on Sunday (July 19, 2026), highlighted the long-standing friendly relations, bilateral cooperation and various aspects of future partnership between Bangladesh and Egypt in the presence of government ministers, diplomats, businessmen, academicians, cultural figures and media representatives.
The event was attended by the Minister of Women and Children Affairs, Professor Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain, MP. Also present was Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Zahir Uddin Swapan, MP. The welcome address was delivered by the Egyptian Ambassador to Bangladesh, Omar Fahmy.
In the speech of the chief guest, Professor Dr. AZM Zahid Hossain said that he was very happy to be present on the occasion of Egypt’s National Day and the 74th anniversary of the July Revolution. He extended heartfelt greetings and congratulations to the government and people of Egypt on behalf of the government of Bangladesh and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
He said that since independence in 1972, the 52-year-old friendly relations between Bangladesh and Egypt have been continuously strengthened on the basis of mutual respect, common values and cooperation. This relationship has been further deepened by the two countries’ common positions on important global issues, economic cooperation, commitment to peace and development, and joint work on international platforms such as the OIC and D-8.
The minister further said that the close personal relationship and cooperation between martyred President Ziaur Rahman and the late Egyptian President Anwar Sadat have provided a stronger foundation for the friendly relations between the two countries. The mutual trust established under their leadership is still driving Bangladesh-Egypt relations forward today.
He said that currently, cooperation between the two countries is continuously expanding in various fields including economy, trade, investment, agriculture, education, security, tourism and direct Dhaka-Cairo air communication. He called for creating more higher education opportunities for Bangladeshi students at Al-Azhar University, saying that Al-Azhar is one of the most respected Islamic educational institutions in the world and more education opportunities for Bangladeshi students there will play an important role in religious education and the welfare of the Muslim Ummah.
Praising the scholarship program of the Egyptian government, he said that Bangladesh is grateful for providing scholarships to Bangladeshi students in various government universities including Al-Azhar and providing employment opportunities to Bangladeshi skilled and semi-skilled manpower working in Egypt.
Regarding the foreign policy of the new government of Bangladesh, he said that the new government, elected by the people’s direct vote, will follow a foreign policy based on friendship, mutual welfare, economic prosperity and partnership. The Bangladesh government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, is committed to further strengthening cooperation with Egypt in trade, investment, agriculture, education, tourism, culture, information technology, renewable energy, skill development and pharmaceutical sectors.
He invited the Egyptian government, businessmen and investors to visit Bangladesh and said that there are attractive opportunities and long-term benefits for foreign investment in Bangladesh in the infrastructure, power and energy, agro-based industries, tourism and hospitality sectors.
Appreciating Egypt’s constructive role in establishing peace and stability in the Middle East and Africa, he expressed hope for continued mutual cooperation in various international forums. At the same time, he also appreciated the active role of Egyptian Ambassador to Bangladesh Omar Fahmy.
Speaking at the event, Ambassador Omar Fahmy said that the July Revolution of 1952 was a landmark event in the history of modern Egypt. This revolution ended the monarchy and began the journey of a republican Egypt. This revolution laid the foundation for modern Egypt by eliminating corruption, ending foreign influence, establishing social justice, strengthening the national army, and economic and political reforms.
He congratulated the government and people of Bangladesh for this year’s successful national elections and wished the new government of Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman success. He said that Egypt was one of the first countries to recognize Bangladesh after independence, and the 52 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries are a shining example of mutual trust and friendship.
The ambassador said that President Anwar El-Sadat’s visit to Dhaka as the first Arab head of state to visit Bangladesh after independence is one of the most important chapters in the historical relations between the two countries. Currently, the relations between the two countries have reached new heights in various fields including diplomacy, trade, investment, education, culture, judicial cooperation, religious dialogue, security, communication and multilateral cooperation.
He noted that the meeting between Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and the then head of the interim government of Bangladesh in Cairo last year, the Foreign Office Consultations and the visit of the Chief Justice of Bangladesh to Egypt have further strengthened bilateral relations.
The Ambassador said that as members of the OIC, D-8 and the Non-Aligned Movement, Bangladesh and Egypt are working together to protect international peace, sustainable development and the interests of developing countries. He congratulated Dr. Khalilur Rahman on being elected as the President of the United Nations General Assembly and expressed gratitude for Bangladesh’s support for the candidacy of Dr. Khaled El-Enany for the post of Director-General of UNESCO.
Referring to bilateral trade, the Ambassador said that in just two years, the trade volume between Bangladesh and Egypt has increased from about 160 million US dollars to about 500 million US dollars. Egypt is exporting various industrial products including petrochemicals and fertilizers to Bangladesh, while Bangladeshi ready-made garments, textiles and jute products have established a strong position in the Egyptian market.
In terms of educational cooperation, he said that at the request of Prime Minister Tariq Rahman, the number of annual scholarships for Bangladeshi students at Al-Azhar has been increased from 12 to 24. Currently, more than 1,000 Bangladeshi students are studying at Al-Azhar and various educational institutions in Egypt.
He further said that the establishment of the Egyptian Coptic Orthodox Church in Bangladesh this year has set a new example of mutual respect, religious coexistence and friendship between the two countries. In addition, EgyptAir’s Dhaka-Cairo direct flight is playing an important role in increasing people-to-people contact, tourism, business, education and investment between the two countries and has also become an effective connection for Bangladeshi pilgrims.
Regarding defense and security cooperation, the ambassador said that the two countries’ cooperation in military training, professional exchanges and counter-terrorism is being further expanded, which will play an important role in ensuring regional peace and stability.
He said that the implementation of Egypt Vision-2030, economic recovery, the inauguration of the Grand Egyptian Museum, the election of Dr. Khaled El-Enany as the first Arab as Director-General of UNESCO and Egypt’s historic passage to the last sixteen of the 2026 FIFA World Cup are important milestones in the country’s progress.
The Ambassador expressed optimism that in the coming years, the relations between Bangladesh and Egypt will be further strengthened on the basis of mutual respect, common goals and increasing people-to-people contacts, and the economic and strategic partnership between the two countries will reach new heights.
The event was attended by ambassadors, high commissioners, diplomats, senior government officials, business leaders, academicians, cultural figures and media representatives. The guests praised the continuous progress of the 52-year-old friendly relations between Bangladesh and Egypt and expressed optimism for further expansion of trade, investment, education, culture, tourism and people-to-people contacts in the future.
