Prospects of Uzbekistan’s Embassy in Dhaka and resumption of flights on Dhaka-Tashkent route

Staff Reporter  :
Dhaka and Tashkent have come out with a positive outlook regarding the setting up of Uzbekistan’s Embassy in Dhaka and the much-awaited resumption of flights on the Dhaka-Tashkent route.

The issue came up when Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan Aloev Bakhtiyor Juraboevich on Thursday meets with Foreign Minister Dr. AK Abdul Momen at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka to join the second Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) on bilateral dialogue between Bangladesh and Uzbekistan, Foreign Ministry said on Saturday.

During the meeting, Foreign Minister Dr. Momen emphasized the importance of communication between the two countries and expressed hope for the swift resumption of commercial flights that were previously operational.
They also discussed the possibility of code-sharing arrangements for flights between Dhaka and New Delhi by Bangladesh Airlines and between New Delhi and Tashkent by Uzbek Air, allowing passengers to travel seamlessly between the two countries.
Furthermore, they expressed optimism about the imminent signing of an Air Services Agreement between the two nations.
During his visit to Uzbekistan in 2021, Foreign Minister Dr. Momen recalled the positive attitude of the Uzbek President regarding the opening of Uzbekistan’s diplomatic mission in Dhaka.

He assured the Deputy Foreign Minister of Uzbekistan that the Bangladeshi government would provide all necessary assistance in establishing the diplomatic mission.
The Uzbek Deputy Foreign Minister mentioned the historical connection between Bangladesh and Uzbekistan stemming from the Mughal era and emphasized the importance of economic diplomacy between the two countries. He praised Bangladesh’s socio-economic development and leadership.

The Uzbek Deputy Foreign Minister expressed optimism that direct communication between Bangladesh’s Chittagong Port and Iran’s Chabahar Port would reduce transportation costs and enhance trade between Bangladesh and Uzbekistan.

Foreign Minister Dr. Momen expressed interest in importing cotton from Uzbekistan. On the other hand, the Uzbek Deputy Foreign Minister stated that Bangladesh could export tulips from Uzbekistan to other countries, adding value to the global market.

Dr. Momen expressed interest in establishing a joint venture for fertilizer production in Uzbekistan. He highlighted Bangladesh’s remarkable success in the pharmaceutical industry and emphasized that Uzbekistan could participate in Bangladesh’s progress. He informed the Uzbek Deputy Foreign Minister about Bangladesh’s investments in the pharmaceutical industry in some African countries.

Foreign Minister Dr. Momen mentioned the much-read book of Imam Bukhari in Bangladesh and informed about the interest of Bangladeshi citizens and businessmen in visiting Uzbekistan and engaging in trade.

He requested the Uzbek Deputy Foreign Minister to facilitate visa issuance for Bangladeshi citizens to make it easier for them to travel.
The Uzbek Deputy Foreign Minister requested the presence of election observers from Bangladesh for Uzbekistan’s presidential election scheduled for July 9, 2023, and asked Dr. Momen to arrange for their deployment.

Dr. Momen also invited Uzbekistan to send observers for the upcoming elections in Bangladesh.