Visa exemption deal signed with Uzbekistan

Staff Reporter :

Bangladesh and Uzbekistan have taken another step forward in strengthening bilateral ties, as the two countries signed an agreement granting visa exemption for diplomatic passport holders. The deal was signed on Friday in Tashkent following a bilateral meeting between Bangladesh Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud and his Uzbek counterpart Bakhtiyor Saidov.

During the talks, both ministers emphasized the importance of expanding cooperation in trade, investment, higher education, and manpower export. They also pledged closer collaboration in multilateral forums, reflecting the growing strategic alignment between Dhaka and Tashkent.
Officials noted that the visa exemption deal will help facilitate smoother official exchanges, paving the way for stronger people-to-people and government-to-government contacts.

Bangladesh and Uzbekistan, both emerging economies in Asia, see significant untapped potential in bilateral trade. Uzbekistan, a resource-rich Central Asian country with a growing industrial base, could serve as a new market for Bangladeshi textiles, pharmaceuticals, ceramics, and IT services. At the same time, Bangladesh could benefit from importing cotton, energy resources, and fertilizers from Uzbekistan, creating a complementary trade relationship.

Manpower export was highlighted as another promising area of cooperation. With Uzbekistan’s expanding service sector and infrastructure development projects, demand for skilled and semi-skilled workers is rising. Bangladesh, which has a large overseas workforce, is keen to explore opportunities to send trained professionals and workers to Uzbekistan, diversifying its labor migration destinations beyond the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

Both sides also discussed cooperation in higher education and academic exchanges, aiming to strengthen cultural understanding and build a new generation of professionals with exposure to each other’s countries.
The meeting, held in a cordial and constructive atmosphere, underscored the enduring friendship between Bangladesh and Uzbekistan. Diplomats from both nations expressed optimism that this new phase of partnership will help unlock opportunities not only for governments but also for businesses and citizens.