Staff Reporter :
Bangladesh is keen to revive its relationship with the continent and explore new avenues for deeper cooperation in light of Africa’s growing strategic importance.
Concerned stakeholders shared thoughts at an event held at the Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) Auditorium.
The seminar was organised by BIISS on the occasion of book launching seminar on “Look Africa: Exploring New Horizons for Bangladesh.”
The event was graced by the Chief Guest, Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain. The Director General of BIISS, Major General Iftikhar Anis, also spoke, and the seminar was chaired by Former Ambassador Humayun Kabir, President of the Bangladesh Enterprise Institute (BEI).
Foreign Affairs Adviser Md. Touhid Hossain emphasised the need for Bangladesh to understand the African region, provide opportunities to them, and, at the same time, take advantage of the opportunities there.
He pointed out that there are numerous opportunities for Bangladesh in Africa.
The adviser mentioned that many African countries associate investment primarily with mining, a sector where Bangladesh does not have much presence.
However, he noted that there are vast investment opportunities in sectors such as agriculture, software, pharmaceuticals, and more, which Bangladesh should explore.
Former Ambassador Humayun Kabir spoke about the past Afro-Asian solidarity and how it could be revived now that relations with Africa are advancing.
He also highlighted that many African countries have free trade agreements, offering opportunities that Bangladesh should seize.
Dr Razia Sultana, Senior Research Fellow at BIISS, gave a presentation on the book.
Other speakers included former Director General of the Africa Wing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and current Director General of the North America Wing, AFM Zahid-ul-Islam, Professor and Research Director at the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD), Dr Munshi Sulaiman, and Associate Professor and Head of the Global Studies and Governance Department at the School of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences, Independent University, Bangladesh (IUB), Dr Marufa Akter.
The speakers noted that in recent years, Africa has become a major economic opportunity due to its abundant natural resources.
Many African countries are achieving impressive economic growth, driven by regional economic cooperation and improved governance, they said.
This trend has caught Bangladesh’s attention, which is keen to establish strong partnerships with African nations in key areas such as agriculture, education, health, and information technology.
In return, African countries are interested in cooperating with Bangladesh in sectors such as trade, investment, agriculture, e-commerce, education, environment, healthcare, and supply chains, for mutual benefit.
The alignment of interests between Bangladesh and African countries creates numerous opportunities for social progress and economic prosperity through sharing expertise and resources.
The speakers also mentioned that there are significant prospects for deeper cooperation in the areas of peace and security in Africa.
Bangladesh’s relationship with Africa began in 1989 when it sent a peacekeeping observer team to Namibia.
Since then, Bangladesh has consistently contributed to peacekeeping efforts across the African continent, sending troops and personnel on United Nations peacekeeping missions.
During the period of decolonization, both regions shared a common struggle and actively participated in the Non-Aligned Movement, expressing solidarity against colonialism.
While Bangladesh has made efforts to strengthen this historical relationship, its full potential with Africa remains largely untapped, the speakers said.
