Bangladesh and Iraq will cooperate in the fields of trade and investment, particularly in the leather, textile, and pharmaceutical sectors.

The matters were discussed during a meeting between Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun and Iraqi Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources Khalid Battal Najim held in the conference room of the Ministry of Industries in the capital on Wednesday.

They can reap the benefits of the importation of Bangladeshi products such as garments, jute goods, leather products, and pharmaceuticals.

Iraq will ease visa procedures for Bangladeshi tourists, legalise undocumented Bangladeshi residents, and explore avenues for further cooperation between the two countries.

In the meeting, Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun highlighted the historically friendly relations between Bangladesh and Iraq.

He emphasised Iraq's significant contributions to Bangladesh's socio-economic development and industrialisation.

He expressed the importance of working together based on mutual interests and cooperation in various areas.

The Iraqi minister stated, "As a friendly country, Iraq seeks to collaborate with Bangladesh in various fields."

The minister arrived in Bangladesh on a four-day visit on Tuesday.

The Iraqi minister is expected to visit Tongi textile village and the Beximco Pharmaceuticals factory in Savar, among other establishments.

State Minister for Industries Kamal Ahmed Majumder, Deputy Minister of Planning of Iraq Ahmed Abdul Jabbar Ali Al Karim, Charge d'Affaires of the Embassy of Iraq in Bangladesh, and senior officials from the Ministry of Industries, among others, were also present during the meeting.