Canada calls for economic ties with BD beyond aid

Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Ajit Singh has called for transforming Canada-Bangladesh relations from an aid-focused relationship into a broader economic and strategic partnership.

He further said that the two countries could work together as “strategic middle powers” in an increasingly multipolar world.

Speaking at the Bay of Bengal Conversation at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon in Dhaka on Monday, Singh said Bangladesh’s geographical position, economic transformation and growing international influence made it an important player in the emerging global order.

“The Bay of Bengal is no longer at the periphery of the changes reshaping our world; rather, it is increasingly coming to its centre,” he said, describing the region as a strategic space connecting South and Southeast Asia and encompassing vital maritime routes.

The Canadian envoy said Bangladesh’s experience demonstrated that influence and agency in international affairs were no longer the exclusive preserve of major powers.

He argued that countries such as Canada and Bangladesh could exercise greater influence by building partnerships, forming coalitions and strengthening their own resilience rather than aligning themselves automatically with any major power.

“Strategic autonomy does not mean strategic isolation,” Singh said, stressing that a country’s sovereignty increasingly depends on the strength and diversity of its international relationships.

He said secure food and energy supplies, access to critical minerals and technology, reliable digital infrastructure, competitive industries, a skilled workforce and resilient supply chains were now essential components of national sovereignty.

“No single country can supply all of this entirely on its own,” he said, arguing that countries should reduce over-reliance not by cutting themselves off from others but by diversifying their relationships and building more options.

“For Canada, Bangladesh, the Bay of Bengal region, and beyond, this is not merely a challenge; it is a massive opportunity to demonstrate agency, leadership, and to build a better, inclusive future for all,” he said.

Turning specifically to bilateral relations, Singh said that the relationship had now developed far beyond its historical foundations.

Canada is home to more than 100,000 Bangladeshi-Canadians, whom Singh said were making significant contributions to Canadian society.

The envoy also highlighted growing bilateral trade, saying trade between the two countries had surpassed C$4 billion in 2025, representing more than 25 percent growth despite a difficult global economic environment.

He described the figures as evidence of the growing economic importance of the relationship.
Singh also pointed to a new government-to-government agreement for the supply of Canadian potash fertiliser to Bangladesh.

He said that since 2014, the arrangement had delivered more than 3.5 million metric tonnes of Canadian potash to Bangladesh, linking Canadian resources directly with Bangladesh’s agricultural and food-security needs.

“Canadian resources are supporting Bangladeshi farmers; Bangladesh’s agricultural needs are supporting Canadian producers; and a reliable supply chain for food security is being secured,” he said.

He identified several areas where bilateral cooperation could be expanded, including agriculture, food security, energy, climate technology, aerospace, education and skills, digital technology, innovation and investment.

“Our vision should be clear-to move away from an aid-dominated relationship toward an economic and strategic partnership where both countries leverage each other’s complementary strengths,” Singh said.

He also welcomed the governance reforms currently under way in Bangladesh, saying reforms in democratic governance, fiscal and economic management, human rights, labour and the judiciary could contribute to the country’s future development while creating new opportunities for Canada-Bangladesh cooperation.

Concluding his speech, the Canadian envoy invoked an analogy used by Prime Minister Carney to describe cooperation in an era of geopolitical tensions, climate change, economic fragmentation and supply-chain vulnerabilities.

“A single tree may fall in a storm, but an entire forest stands firm,” he quoted the Canadian prime minister as saying. “Let us build that strong foundation for our future together,” Singh said.