Moscow: Bangladesh and Russia today reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation in energy, trade, investment, and education. This resolution was made during a meeting between Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, as stated in a release by the foreign ministry.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Dr. Khalilur and Lavrov exchanged views on pressing regional and global issues during their talks. Dr. Khalilur is currently on a three-day official visit to Russia, marking his first bilateral visit abroad since being elected President of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), at the invitation of his Russian counterpart.
Lavrov congratulated Dr. Khalilur on his election as UNGA president and expressed Russia’s support for his efforts to make the General Assembly more effective and to strengthen the United Nations’ central role in global affairs. “We look forward to the tangible outcomes of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly,” Lavrov stated, assuring Russia’s full support as Dr. Khalilur prepares to assume the prestigious position.
The Russian foreign minister highlighted the longstanding friendship and cooperation between the two countries and expressed hope that the upcoming 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations in January next year would be marked by concrete initiatives in trade, economy, culture, and military-technical cooperation. Lavrov remarked that the political dialogue between their countries is developing steadily, regardless of the current political situation, and emphasized Moscow’s intention to use the visit to further galvanize bilateral relations.
Dr. Khalilur thanked Russia for supporting his UNGA candidacy and said he would rely on Moscow’s cooperation both in his role as foreign minister and as president-elect of the General Assembly. He acknowledged Russia’s support in his election, which helped him secure the position. Addressing the growing global challenges, Dr. Khalilur noted that the world is entering the 81st UNGA session amid increasing geopolitical tensions, setbacks in sustainable development efforts, and mounting climate-related concerns. He acknowledged that the task of the president of the General Assembly would not be easy.
Dr. Khalilur conveyed greetings from Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, and Foreign Minister Lavrov, while reaffirming Bangladesh’s commitment to deepening relations with Russia. He expressed gratitude for Moscow’s support during Bangladesh’s Liberation War in 1971 and the Soviet Navy’s contribution to clearing mines from Chattogram Port after the war.
The Bangladesh foreign minister also highlighted the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant as a symbol of the growing partnership between the two countries and expressed hope that the project would soon become fully operational. Following the bilateral talks, the two foreign ministers addressed a joint media briefing.
According to foreign ministry’s officials, the discussions also covered cooperation within the United Nations and other multilateral forums, as well as prospects for expanding economic engagement between the two countries. Bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Russia has consistently exceeded US$2 billion in recent years, while cooperation continues to expand in the energy, education, and technical sectors.