Bangladesh and South Korea aim to deepen trade and investment cooperation

Bangladesh and South Korea held a bilateral meeting on Sunday on the sidelines of the 14th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC14) in Yaoundé, Cameroon, aiming to boost trade cooperation and expand mutual investment.

The Bangladesh delegation was led by Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir, accompanied by Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman and other senior officials, according to a press release issued today. The South Korean side was headed by Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo.

During the meeting, Muktadir noted that a new government under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman took office in February 2026 following a participatory election. He highlighted the administration’s forward-looking trade policies, efforts to diversify markets, and its pursuit of Free Trade Agreements (FTA) and Economic Partnership Agreements (EPA) as the country prepares for its graduation from least developed country (LDC) status.

He informed that Bangladesh has already finalized an EPA with Japan and is currently negotiating FTAs and Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreements (CEPA) with several countries, including South Korea and Singapore.

The minister also expressed Bangladesh’s interest in joining the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), emphasizing that its strategic location and large consumer base could offer mutual benefits.

Referring to the success of South Korean investment in Bangladesh’s readymade garment (RMG) sector, Muktadir invited further investment, noting that the country provides a favourable business climate for foreign investors.

In response, Yeo Han-koo congratulated the newly formed government and described Bangladesh as a promising economy. He expressed interest in visiting the country soon and suggested that the Bangladesh-Japan EPA could serve as a useful model for ongoing bilateral trade discussions.

He added that although current trade volumes remain below potential, there is considerable scope for growth in sectors such as shipbuilding, steel, manufacturing, and investment.

Both sides agreed to maintain regular engagement at ministerial and technical levels to ensure concrete progress, concluding the meeting with a renewed commitment to strengthening bilateral ties and building a mutually beneficial trade and investment partnership.