Diplomatic Desk:
Discussions were held regarding the strengthening of cooperation between Bangladesh and Indonesia in various areas of mutual interest, including the expansion of trade and investment, investment in the energy sector, disaster management, education and training, tourism, and cultural exchange.
These matters were discussed on Wednesday (September 9, 2026) when the Indonesian Ambassador to Bangladesh, Listyowati, paid a courtesy call on the State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Humayun Kabir, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
During the meeting, the two sides discussed bilateral trade and business, energy sector investment, disaster management, education and training, capacity building, tourism, cultural exchange, people-to-people contact, consular matters, high-level visits, and cooperation on various regional and global issues.
State Minister Humayun Kabir urged Indonesia to increase its imports of Bangladeshi products and services to deepen and diversify bilateral trade. At the same time, he conveyed Bangladesh’s readiness to move towards a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) to further enhance bilateral trade relations.
The State Minister also requested the simplification of visa procedures for Bangladeshi citizens traveling to Indonesia. He noted that this would further boost tourism, cultural exchange, and people-to-people contact between the two nations.
In response, the Indonesian Ambassador reiterated her country’s support for diversifying exports from Bangladesh to Indonesia. She assured cooperation, particularly regarding expanding market access in Indonesia for various Bangladeshi products, including pharmaceuticals.
State Minister Humayun Kabir expressed interest in strengthening cooperation on disaster management, noting that both Bangladesh and Indonesia are vulnerable to natural disasters. Supporting this proposal, Ambassador Listyowati emphasized the importance of knowledge exchange, sharing best practices, and intensifying capacity-building initiatives to tackle the adverse effects of natural disasters.
The State Minister also sought Indonesia’s support for Bangladesh’s aspirations to become a Sectoral Dialogue Partner of ASEAN and to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Ambassador Listyowati reiterated Indonesia’s continued support for Bangladesh regarding these important initiatives.
At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides reaffirmed their commitment to working closely on matters of mutual interest at bilateral, regional, and international levels.
