Seoul: Road Transport and Bridges, Shipping and Railways Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam has called for further strengthening international cooperation in sustainable, resilient, and inclusive infrastructure development. "Infrastructure development is not only about economic growth; it is also a major foundation for regional connectivity, social development, and improving people's quality of life," he said. Therefore, along with financing, it is necessary to strengthen cooperation among countries in infrastructure development by combining modern technology, knowledge, and technical skills, he added.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the minister made the remarks while participating in the opening session of the three-day Global Infrastructure Cooperation Conference-2026 held today in Seoul, the capital of South Korea. The theme of this year's conference is 'Cooperation in Open Global Infrastructure Projects through Artificial Intelligence.' Ministers, senior government officials, representatives of infrastructure-related organizations, multilateral development institutions, project implementers, and leading construction and engineering firms from various countries are participating in the conference.
Speaking at the opening session, Shaikh Rabiul Alam said infrastructure must be made resilient, sustainable, and inclusive to address climate change and future challenges. He said that, alongside investment in the infrastructure sector, emphasis must be placed on technology transfer, the exchange of knowledge and experience, and skills development. By strengthening mutual cooperation among countries, new opportunities can be created in these areas.
The minister said that under the far-sighted leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Bangladesh is committed to building an integrated, efficient, low-carbon, and climate-resilient transport system. "To achieve this goal, initiatives are being taken to implement important and transformative infrastructure projects through international partnerships and financing."
He said Bangladesh is interested in further deepening cooperation in the infrastructure sector with South Korea and other international partners through government-to-government cooperation, foreign direct investment, concessional financing, and public-private partnerships. Shaikh Rabiul Alam said Bangladesh wants to utilize new opportunities in infrastructure development through technology transfer, the exchange of knowledge and experience, and skills development.
In this regard, long-term cooperation with international partners will play an important role in making Bangladesh's infrastructure sector more modern and sustainable. It is expected that through Bangladesh's participation in the Global Infrastructure Cooperation Conference-2026, the scope of cooperation in infrastructure development with South Korea and other development partners will be further expanded.