France and Bangladesh discuss deepening political and parliamentary ties

A three-member delegation from the French Senate is conducting an official three-day visit to Bangladesh to strengthen political and parliamentary ties. The delegation, which includes Senators Guillaume Chevrollier, Pierre-Alain Roiron, and Olivier Henno, met with State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam to discuss bilateral and multilateral issues.

This visit is noted as the first political-level mission from France since the formation of Bangladesh’s new democratically elected government. During the visit, the senators are scheduled to meet with Speaker of Parliament Hafiz Uddin Ahmad and other Bangladeshi interlocutors to explore new avenues of cooperation.

Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad proposed the formation of a France-Bangladesh Parliamentary Caucus to deepen relations, noting that France is Bangladesh’s second-largest European trading partner. The French delegation emphasized the importance of expanding parliamentary diplomacy and increasing French economic investment in Bangladesh, specifically regarding oil and gas exploration in coastal areas.