Bangladesh aims to strengthen relations with Nepal, says Foreign Secretary

Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam has highlighted the need to further deepen cooperation between Bangladesh and Nepal to harness untapped potential, citing the “excellent friendly relations” between the two nations. He expressed readiness to host his Nepali counterpart in Dhaka later this year for the next round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC), to be scheduled at a mutually convenient time.

These matters came up during a recent courtesy call by Nepal’s Ambassador to Bangladesh, Ghanshyam Bhandari, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Ambassador Bhandari congratulated the Foreign Secretary on taking up his new role. During their meeting, both sides discussed a range of bilateral issues, including trade, hydropower, connectivity, and people-to-people ties, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

They expressed satisfaction with the current state of Bangladesh-Nepal relations and explored avenues for deeper cooperation. Particular emphasis was placed on progress in energy collaboration and prospects for new joint hydropower ventures.

According to the Embassy of Nepal in Dhaka, the ambassador also stressed the importance of enhanced economic engagement, noting advances in trade, tourism, education, and regional connectivity.

Both parties agreed on the need to work closely in regional and multilateral platforms such as SAARC, BIMSTEC, and the United Nations.