Mohammad Shajibul-al-Rajib:
The Moroccan Embassy in Dhaka celebrated the 27th anniversary of the accession to the throne of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco with due dignity. The reception, organized at a prestigious hotel in the capital on Thursday (July 30, 2026), was attended by ambassadors, high commissioners, diplomats, senior government officials, business leaders, academicians, cultural figures and media representatives.
Abdul Awal Mintoo, Minister of Environment, Forests and Climate Change, was present as the chief guest at the event. He extended heartfelt greetings and congratulations to the King, Government and people of Morocco on behalf of the government and people of Bangladesh. He said that under the visionary leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Morocco has achieved significant success in national development, economic progress and regional cooperation. At the same time, the country has become known to the world as a regional model of peace, moderation and progress.
The minister said that the relations between Bangladesh and Morocco have been built on the basis of mutual respect, common values and common aspirations. Morocco was one of the first countries to recognize Bangladesh after independence on July 13, 1973. Since then, the friendship and cooperation between the two countries have been continuously strengthened.
He recalled that the visit of the then President Ziaur Rahman to Morocco in 1981 to attend the Al-Quds Committee meeting was an important milestone in the relations between the two countries. He also mentioned that Bangladesh and Morocco are working closely together in various international forums including the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).
Abdul Awal Mintoo said that the role of ICESCO based in Rabat is very important in strengthening cooperation between OIC member countries in the fields of education, science, culture and technology. Morocco’s contribution in this regard is commendable.
He said that bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Morocco are expanding in various fields including trade, education, culture and technical cooperation. High-level visits, regular exchanges of delegations from the government and private sectors and trade-commercial dialogues are giving new momentum to the relations between the two countries.
The minister said that the bilateral trade volume between Bangladesh and Morocco reached about 804 million US dollars in the fiscal year 2024-25. However, this potential has not yet been fully utilized. He mentioned that Bangladesh is capable of meeting the needs of Morocco in the ready-made garments, knitwear, home textiles, jute and jute products, ceramics, medicines, frozen fish, leather and leather products and light engineering sectors.
He also said that a business delegation from Morocco is expected to visit Bangladesh in November. At the same time, he urged Moroccan entrepreneurs and investors to take advantage of Bangladesh’s investment-friendly environment and various incentives. He also urged Bangladeshi businessmen to explore opportunities to enter the markets of Africa, Europe and the Middle East by taking advantage of Morocco’s comprehensive free trade agreement.
The minister said that the current government formed under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman through the free, fair and participatory elections on February 12, 2026, is pursuing friendship, economic prosperity and development based on mutual interests by following the “Bangladesh First” foreign policy. He also mentioned that the Bangladesh government is determined to further strengthen trade, investment, agriculture, education, tourism, culture and business ties with Morocco.
He praised the active role of the Moroccan Embassy in Dhaka and said that the embassy is playing an important role in increasing high-level contacts and developing people-to-people relations.
In his welcome speech at the event, Moroccan Ambassador to Bangladesh Lala Bouthaina El Kerdoudi El Koulali said that Throne Day is a symbol of Morocco’s national unity, stability, diversity and deep values of peace, respect and tolerance. As the first female ambassador to Morocco in Bangladesh, she is celebrating Throne Day through this event for the first time, which is of special significance to her.
She expressed gratitude for the sincere hospitality and warm welcome of the government and people of Bangladesh. She also congratulated the government and people of Bangladesh for the recent free, fair and transparent elections and wished for continuous development and prosperity of Bangladesh under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
The ambassador said that the history of friendship between Bangladesh and Morocco is long. Although the foundation of modern diplomatic relations was laid by recognizing the independence of Bangladesh in 1973, the historical connection between the two countries is much older. The famous Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta visited Bengal a century ago and described the beauty, hospitality and prosperity of the region in his travelogue, which symbolizes the historical bridge between the two nations.
She said that the two countries have been supporting each other in various international forums including the UN and OIC. He expressed special gratitude for Bangladesh’s support in the inclusion of the Moroccan traditional ‘kaftan’ in UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Congratulating Bangladesh on assuming the presidency of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly, the Ambassador said that this is a recognition of Bangladesh’s growing international status and Morocco is keen to work closely with Bangladesh at this time.
He said that the recent visit of State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam to Rabat and meetings with top-level Moroccan ministers have opened new horizons in the economic relations between the two countries.
The Ambassador noted that Morocco has now established itself as one of the industrial, logistics and investment hubs in Africa. With extensive infrastructure, world-class seaports, numerous free trade agreements and major initiatives such as the Nigeria-Morocco gas pipeline and the Atlantic Africa Initiative, Morocco is serving as an important gateway to African and global markets.
He said that on the other hand, Bangladesh’s strong economic growth, large population and strategic geographical location have opened up important opportunities for Morocco. There is a huge potential for joint cooperation in various sectors including textiles, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, shipbuilding, maritime communications, agriculture, education and tourism.
The Moroccan ambassador also specifically mentioned the importance of Moroccan fertilizer exports for Bangladesh’s agricultural development and food security. He said that this is not just a commercial relationship, but a strategic partnership built on the basis of shared prosperity and responsibility.
He also said that despite the geographical distance, the people of Bangladesh and Morocco have remarkable similarities in values, culture and traditions. The family ties between Bangladeshi and Moroccan citizens have further strengthened the relations between the people of the two countries. He gratefully recalled the unwavering support of Bangladeshis for the Moroccan national football team ‘Atlas Lions’ in the World Cup and expressed the hope that Bangladesh will also participate in the World Cup in the future.
At the end of the ceremony, a cake was cut in the presence of guests to celebrate the 27th anniversary of the accession to the throne of Morocco. The event ended with dinner and an exchange of views among the guests in a cordial atmosphere.
