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DHAKA, Nov 2: State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam today described her recent visits to Spain and the United Kingdom as fruitful, saying the engagements had opened up opportunities to expand Bangladesh’s trade, investment, climate cooperation, education and cultural diplomacy.
She made the remarks while briefing journalists on her recently concluded two-nation visits at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here this afternoon.
During her visit to Spain, Shama attended an exhibition organised by the Spain-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce, bringing together business representatives from the two countries.
She said Spain had become one of Bangladesh’s leading export destinations, particularly for readymade garments and textiles, offering scope for further expanding bilateral trade.
The exhibition featured businesses in garments, jute, chemicals and other sectors, with entrepreneurs exploring joint ventures and industrial cooperation.
Shama said she promoted Bangladeshi jute products and discussed prospects for attracting Spanish foreign direct investment (FDI).
She also held talks with Spain’s State Secretary for Foreign and Global Affairs, Diego Martínez Belío, focusing on trade, investment, export diversification and cooperation in emerging sectors.
The Spanish side expressed interest in strengthening economic engagement with Bangladesh, she said.
During her UK visit, Shama met the British government’s Special Representative for Climate to discuss climate resilience, adaptation, climate finance and prospects for closer bilateral and multilateral cooperation ahead of COP31.
The discussions also covered opportunities for joint efforts to address climate challenges and future engagement at the UN climate conference, she added.
Shama also visited the Ashmolean Museum at the University of Oxford, where she toured an exhibition featuring Bangladeshi artist Soma Surovi Jannat.
She said discussions focused on expanding cultural cooperation, academic exchanges, scholarships and possible collaboration among Bangladeshi institutions, the Ashmolean Museum and the University of Oxford.
Expressing optimism over the outcomes of the visits, the state minister said the engagements would help strengthen Bangladesh’s bilateral relations and create new opportunities in trade, investment, climate diplomacy, education and cultural cooperation.
