Bangladesh and Gambia on Thursday signed an agreement on visa exemption for diplomatic and official passport holders, reports BSS.
Home Adviser Lt. Gen. Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (Retd.) and visiting Gambian Minister for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Dr. Mamadou Tangara signed the agreement on behalf their respective sides.
After signing the agreement, both the ministers termed it as a 'milestone' for Bangladesh and Gambia relations and expressed their commitment to strengthen the relationship in the further days to come.
At the signing ceremony, Jahangir Alam described it as a special moment for the two friendly nations. He said, "We are pleased to have taken this step, which reflects our shared commitment to strengthening cooperation and collaboration."
He also said Bangladesh has a high regard for Gambia for its principle stance on the Rohingya issue and its unwavering solidarity with Bangladesh in international forums.
"With the backing of the OIC, Gambia's leadership in seeking justice for the Rohingya at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) has earned our deep appreciation," he added.
There is an immense potential for collaboration in readymade garments, food processing and packaging, IT and IT-enabled services, and pharmaceuticals between the two countries, the Home Adviser further said.
"It is essential to translate the diplomatic goodwill into increased business-to-business interactions to unlock the full potential of our economic partnership," he also said.
Currently, Bangladesh has agreement with 30 countries on visa exemption. The countries are- China, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Turkey, South Asia India, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam, Timor Leste, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Russia, Belarus, Serbia, Botswana, Brazil, Chile and Argentina.
