Bangladesh and Singapore have agreed to finalise a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) by 2026. The decision was made during the Fourth Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) held in Singapore on Monday, 14 April 2025.
During the meeting, both sides discussed trade, investment, energy, connectivity, the digital economy, health, agriculture, waste management, tourism, and human resource development. Regional and global issues were also addressed.
The two countries agreed to move forward on several pending agreements, including those related to customs cooperation, avoiding double taxation, mutual legal assistance in criminal matters, and tourism cooperation.
Bangladesh’s Foreign Secretary Md Jashim Uddin encouraged Singaporean businesses to increase their engagement in sectors such as garments, pharmaceuticals, leather, ceramics, jute, and footwear. He also invited more investment from Singapore in Bangladesh’s energy sector and economic zones.
Both sides discussed cooperation in agriculture, contract farming, and tourism infrastructure. They also talked about skill development and training for Bangladeshi workers in Singapore. Bangladesh requested support from Singapore for a Waste-to-Energy project.
Bangladesh expressed appreciation for Singapore’s support in its efforts to become a Sectoral Dialogue Partner of ASEAN and its interest in joining the ASEAN Free Trade Area and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
