Seoul:Bangladesh and the Republic of Korea have agreed to enhance their economic partnership, focusing on investment, advanced technology, artificial intelligence, infrastructure, and private-sector cooperation. This commitment was solidified on the second day of the Bangladesh delegation's official visit to Korea, led by Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Bangladesh's Minister of Finance and Planning.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, during meetings with senior Korean officials, KEXIM, KIC, and leading companies, the Bangladesh delegation emphasized Korea's potential role in Bangladesh's transformation by complementing development finance with technology and investment. Discussions included reviewing the US$3 billion EDCF Framework Arrangement for 2023-2027 and priority projects like the Dhaka MRT Line-5 Southern Route and the Matlab Uttar-Gazaria Bridge.
In a strategic dialogue with Korea's Ministry of Finance and Economy, Bangladesh highlighted opportunities in trade, investment, and technology, urging Korea to expand its technical support for Bangladesh's development initiatives. The Korean side expressed readiness to discuss AI, digital transformation, and further EDCF cooperation.
The talks with the Korea Investment Corporation centered on mobilizing institutional capital for infrastructure and exploring the potential of the proposed Bangladesh Sovereign Fund as an investment vehicle. Additionally, AI emerged as a promising area of cooperation, with discussions focusing on developing a culturally relevant Bangladeshi Large Language Model and AI applications across various sectors.
Bangladesh also engaged with Korean companies to explore long-term investments in energy, manufacturing, and urban development. Notably, Samsung C and T expressed interest in expanding their involvement from EPC contracting to long-term investment partnerships.
The discussions underscored a mutual interest in evolving Bangladesh-Korea relations into a broader economic partnership, moving beyond traditional development cooperation to encompass trade, investment, and technology. Both sides aim to translate these discussions into concrete projects and mutually beneficial outcomes.