Dhaka: Italy is keen to cooperate with Bangladesh on various issues, including enhancing skills in probing fire incidents, preventing human trafficking, and tackling financial crimes. Italy extended these offers during a bilateral meeting between the Home Ministers of Bangladesh and Italy in Rome, as stated in a Home Ministry press release.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Bangladesh delegation was led by Home and Agriculture Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, while the Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi represented Italy at the Italian Interior Minister’s office. During the meeting, Italy assured Bangladesh of providing technical assistance and training to improve its investigation capacity concerning fire accidents.
The discussions covered a range of important mutual interests, including irregular migration, the prevention of human trafficking, money laundering, financial crimes, and enhancing investigation capacity in fire-related incidents. Both countries agreed to establish a joint security dialogue, exchange intelligence information, and conduct joint operations by law enforcement agencies to manage migration and prevent trafficking.
Additionally, the meeting emphasized forming a joint task force to combat human trafficking, rehabilitate victims, and expand legal migration opportunities. It was proposed that a Mutual Legal Assistance Agreement (MLAT) and an extradition agreement be signed to prevent financial crimes. The talks also included initiatives to enhance capacity in forensic investigation and asset recovery.
The Home Ministers of both nations referred to the meeting as a significant milestone in fostering future cooperation and partnership.