Ambassador of Italy to Bangladesh, Antonio Alessandro paid a courtesy call on Shama Obaed Islam, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs this morning. He congratulated the State Minister on her recent assumption of office and conveyed Italy’s confidence in further advancing the longstanding and amicable bilateral relations.
Both sides noted with satisfaction the continued growth of Bangladesh-Italy relations, anchored in strong people-to-people ties. They reaffirmed their shared commitment to broadening engagement across priority sectors, including trade and investment, leather and ceramic industries, manufacturing, skills development, women’s empowerment, education, sports and cultural exchanges, private sector engagements and defence cooperation. The State Minister underscored Italy’s role as an important partner within the European Union and sought Italy’s support for Bangladesh’s candidature for the Presidency of the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly. The Ambassador apprised her of Italy’s position on reform agenda of UN Security Council.
Migration and mobility featured prominently in the discussions. The State Minister reiterated Bangladesh’s commitment to continued collaboration with Italy and other European partners in ensuring effective migration governance. She underscored the importance of expanding opportunities for regular migration channels to ensure mutual benefit. The Ambassador commended Bangladesh’s measures to curb irregular migration and acknowledged the positive contributions of the Bangladeshi community to Italian society. Both sides emphasized the importance of promoting safe, orderly, and regular migration, including through enhanced cooperation on legal pathways, skills partnerships, and labour mobility aligned with market needs.