Bangladesh and the Netherlands have pledged to deepen their bilateral partnership across multiple strategic sectors, including trade, water management, agriculture and high-tech development, during a diplomatic meeting held in Dhaka on Thursday afternoon.

The commitment came as the newly appointed Dutch Ambassador to Bangladesh, Joris van Bommel, paid a courtesy call on Bangladesh’s State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Humaiun Kobir, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Extending his congratulations to State Minister Kobir on assuming office, Ambassador van Bommel expressed optimism about expanding the long-standing diplomatic and economic ties between the two nations.

During the meeting, State Minister Kobir acknowledged the Netherlands' continuous support toward Bangladesh's economic development and democratic transition. He highlighted key areas of strategic cooperation, including sustainable industrial growth, trade and investment expansion, water governance, and agricultural innovation.

The discussions covered a wide array of economic and diplomatic priorities, including Bangladesh’s upcoming LDC (Least Developed Country) graduation, the proposed Bangladesh–EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), migration frameworks, human resource development, and emerging fields like semiconductor technology.

The leaders also touched upon potential collaboration in education and sports alongside broader regional and multilateral issues.

Addressing the ongoing humanitarian crisis, State Minister Kobir expressed gratitude to the Netherlands for its ongoing assistance to the Rohingya refugees and their host communities.

He reiterated that a safe, voluntary, dignified, and sustainable repatriation of displaced Rohingya to Myanmar remains Bangladesh’s primary solution.

In response, Ambassador van Bommel reiterated his government’s commitment to reinforcing ties in core sectors such as maritime infrastructure, shipping, agriculture, and people-to-people exchanges.

He also briefed the State Minister on the upcoming official visit of Sjoerd Sjoerdsma, the Dutch Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, signaling stronger high-level diplomatic engagements ahead.

Both sides agreed on maintaining momentum through sustained high-level interactions and close cooperation across international fora.