Bangladesh and Russia have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral cooperation across key sectors, including energy, trade, investment, and education.

The issues were discussed during a meeting between Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow on Monday (June 8).

According to a press release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Rahman and Minister Lavrov also exchanged views on contemporary regional and global issues during their talks.

This marks Dr Khalilur Rahman's first bilateral foreign visit since being elected as the President of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). He is currently on a three-day official visit to Russia at the invitation of Foreign Minister Lavrov.

Lavrov congratulated Dr. Rahman on his election as UNGA President and assured him of Russia's full support in his efforts to make the UN more effective and to strengthen its central role in global affairs.

"We look forward to practical results from the 81st session of the UN General Assembly," Lavrov said, assuring that Russia will stand by Dr. Rahman as he prepares to take on this prestigious responsibility.

Noting that both nations share a long-standing friendship and cooperative relationship, the Russian Foreign Minister expressed hope that the 55th anniversary of bilateral relations next January will be celebrated through concrete initiatives in trade, economy, culture, and military-technical cooperation.

Lavrov added that despite the current political climate, stable political dialogue continues to develop between the two countries. He noted that Moscow aims to further advance bilateral relations through this visit.

During the meeting, Dr Khalilur Rahman conveyed greetings from Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin, and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. He also reiterated Bangladesh's commitment to further strengthening ties with Russia.

Recalling Moscow's assistance during Bangladesh's Liberation War in 1971, Dr. Rahman expressed deep gratitude for the role of the then-Soviet Union. He specifically highlighted the Soviet Navy's contribution to clearing mines from the Chattogram Port after independence.

"Our relations continue to expand in trade, education, energy, and defense, and we want to strengthen these areas further," the Bangladeshi Foreign Minister said.

Dr. Rahman described the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant as a unique symbol of the growing partnership between the two nations and expressed hope that the project would soon become fully operational.

Following the bilateral meeting, the two foreign ministers addressed a joint press conference. According to Foreign Ministry officials, the discussions also covered mutual cooperation in the UN and other multilateral forums, as well as prospects for increasing economic engagement between the two countries.

Notably, bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Russia has consistently exceeded $2 billion in recent years, alongside steadily growing cooperation in the energy, education, and technical sectors.