Bangladesh, Spain seek to expand trade, investment ties

Bangladesh and Spain have expressed optimism about expanding bilateral trade, commerce and investment during a meeting between Bangladesh Ambassador to Spain Masudur Rahman and Spanish Senate President Pedro Rollán Ojeda.

Ambassador Masudur paid a courtesy call on Rollán Ojeda at the Senate of Spain (Palacio del Senado) in Madrid on Wednesday morning.

During the meeting, they discussed the longstanding bilateral relations between the two countries and explored ways to further strengthen economic and people-to-people ties.

The Senate president spoke highly of Bangladesh’s apparel industry and the products imported from Bangladesh by major Spanish companies.

He also praised Bangladesh’s private-sector-led business growth and its contribution to the country’s development and prosperity over the past decades.

Ambassador Masudur invited the Senate president to visit Bangladesh with a parliamentary delegation. He stressed the importance of greater collaboration between elected representatives and increased people-to-people exchanges between the two countries.

He also called on the Spanish side to establish a bilateral parliamentary friendship body in Spain, saying such an initiative could help boost two-way trade towards $6 billion while promoting investment and economic growth to the mutual benefit of the two countries.

The ambassador urged Spanish parliamentarians to encourage businesses and promote trade and investment between Bangladesh and Spain.

The discussions also covered technology transfer, renewable energy, strengthening forward linkages in the apparel and textile sectors, skills development, talent mobility, people-to-people exchanges and cooperation on safe migration.

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The Spanish Senate president praised the contributions of hard-working Bangladeshi nationals living in Spain, describing the Bangladeshi diaspora as “Ambassadors of Bangladesh”.

Ambassador Masudur highlighted the need to provide skills training and employment opportunities to new applicants under the extraordinary regularisation process.

He said the skills and potential of Bangladeshi workers could benefit sectors such as tourism and hospitality, agriculture, housing, shipping, marine services and deep-sea fishing, thereby creating fresh momentum for the Spanish economy.

The meeting concluded on a positive note, with both sides expressing optimism about strengthening political-level understanding and advancing bilateral cooperation.

Rollán Ojeda highly appreciated the ambassador’s visit, while Ambassador Masudur expressed his gratitude to the Senate president for receiving him despite his busy schedule.