Italian PM to focus on migration, trade during Dhaka visit

Migration and trade will top the agenda during the Italian Prime Minister's upcoming visit to Dhaka, scheduled for late December, Italian Ambassador to Bangladesh Antonio Alessandro said on Sunday.
Speaking to reporters after a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the envoy noted that the high-level visit is expected to reinforce the fast-growing partnership between Dhaka and Rome across multiple fronts.
"This visit will further consolidate the growing bilateral relations between Italy and Bangladesh," Ambassador Alessandro said. "The key areas of discussion will include migration and trade - two pillars of our cooperation that hold great potential for mutual benefit."
The ambassador explained that the Italian Prime Minister was originally scheduled to visit Dhaka in August this year, but the trip was postponed due to "pressing reasons" in Italy. It has now been rescheduled for the end of December, and both sides are finalising the agenda.
According to diplomatic sources, this will be the first visit by an Italian head of government to Bangladesh in more than two decades.
Officials in both capitals view it as a significant opportunity to renew political dialogue and promote economic, technological, and human exchanges between the two nations.
Bangladesh and Italy share a longstanding bond through labour migration, with nearly 200,000 Bangladeshis living and working in Italy, the largest Bangladeshi diaspora community in continental Europe.
The ambassador acknowledged that migration management, labour rights, and the regularisation of Bangladeshi workers will feature prominently
in the discussions.
"Italy values the contribution of Bangladeshi workers to its economy and is working closely with Dhaka to make labour migration more orderly, fair, and beneficial for all," he said.
Trade will also be a central theme. Italy is Bangladesh's third-largest export destination within the European Union, with garments, leather goods, and ceramics dominating the export basket.
Italian investments in Bangladesh, particularly in textiles, renewable energy, and engineering, are expanding steadily. The upcoming visit is expected to pave the way for enhanced cooperation in trade facilitation, investment promotion, and industrial innovation.
Responding to a question, Ambassador Alessandro added that defence cooperation will also be on the table.
"Defence is a key area of cooperation between our two countries, and we are exploring opportunities for collaboration in security training, technology transfer, and maritime safety," he said.
Officials at the foreign ministry expressed optimism that the visit will elevate bilateral ties to a strategic level, opening new avenues for cooperation in labour, trade, education, climate resilience, and security. Preparations are underway for a series of agreements and memoranda of understanding to be signed during the visit.
Observers note that the Italian leader's trip comes at a time when Bangladesh is seeking to diversify its European partnerships and attract greater investment ahead of its planned graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category.

mirmostafiz@yahoo.com