State Minister urges Brunei to expand labour market for Bangladeshis

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed has expressed interest in creating more employment opportunities for Bangladeshi workers in Brunei Darussalam.

She conveyed this interest when Brunei Darussalam's High Commissioner to Dhaka, Haji Haris bin Othman, paid a courtesy call at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday.

A press release from the ministry provided this information.

During the meeting, discussions were held on various ways to further strengthen bilateral cooperation, including manpower, trade and investment, energy and aviation connectivity.

Shama Obaed Islam emphasised increasing Bangladesh's access to Brunei's labour market and creating more employment opportunities for Bangladeshi citizens.

On economic relations, he called for closer ties between the business communities of the two countries, noting that this would help tap into the untapped potential of bilateral trade and investment.

He also proposed forming a Bangladesh-Brunei Chamber of Commerce to increase private sector participation, alongside enhancing cooperation between women entrepreneurs of the two countries.

The Brunei High Commissioner welcomed Shama Obaed's proposals and reaffirmed his country's commitment to further expanding trade and investment cooperation with Bangladesh.

The State Minister also called for increased market access for Bangladeshi pharmaceuticals, jute products, agricultural goods and mangoes in the Brunei market.

Both sides agreed to form a joint business group comprising chambers of commerce, entrepreneurs and investors from Bangladesh and Brunei.