Photo: MoFA

DHAKA, Aug 4, 2026 (BSS) - Bangladesh today sought Italy's political and technical support for securing continued preferential access to the European market after its LDC graduation, including backing for Bangladesh-EU FTA negotiations and an early review of the EU's textile safeguard mechanism.

The call came during the third Bangladesh-Italy Political Consultations held in Rome, where Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam and Secretary-General of Italy's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ambassador Riccardo Guariglia led their respective delegations, said a foreign ministry's press release here. 

Bangladesh underscored that continued access to the European market through instruments such as a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and an Investment Protection Agreement (IPA) would be vital for sustaining the country's socio-economic development in the post-LDC graduation era, the release added. 

Dhaka requested Italy's political and technical support for Bangladesh-EU FTA negotiations and sought an early review of the automatic safeguard threshold for textile and ready-made garment (RMG) exports under the European Union's new Generalised Scheme of Preferences (GSP) regulation.

Bangladesh also sought Italy's support at the United Nations General Assembly for the deferment of its graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category.

The two sides expressed satisfaction over the growing depth and breadth of bilateral relations and reviewed the full spectrum of Bangladesh-Italy cooperation, identifying new areas for expanding engagement.

Bangladesh thanked Italy for its support during the country's democratic transition and reform initiatives and reaffirmed its commitment to advancing cooperation in line with its development priorities.

On the economic front, the consultations focused on enhancing bilateral trade, promoting investment and joint ventures, and exploring new opportunities for sustainable economic cooperation. Bangladesh highlighted its recent reform measures aimed at strengthening an investor-friendly business environment.

Migration and skills development featured prominently in the discussions. Bangladesh appreciated Italy for hosting a large Bangladeshi community and urged Rome to operationalise the Talent Partnership by creating greater opportunities for the legal mobility of Bangladeshi workers.

Dhaka also highlighted its ongoing efforts to curb irregular migration and called for expanded legal migration pathways under the 2025 Bangladesh-Italy Memorandum of Understanding on Migration and Mobility. It sought Italy's support in providing Italian language and vocational skills training for prospective migrant workers.

The Bangladesh delegation further raised the issue of several hundred Bangladeshi workers who entered Italy legally during 2022-23 but are now facing difficulties in changing employers and renewing residence permits because their original sponsors are no longer traceable. It requested Italy's special consideration to regularise their status.

The two countries also discussed expanding cooperation in culture, education, defence, technology, agriculture, energy, infrastructure, climate change and food security.

Exchanging views on regional and global developments, Bangladesh sought stronger political and humanitarian support from Italy for achieving a durable solution to the protracted Rohingya crisis.

The two sides agreed to hold the next round of Bangladesh-Italy Political Consultations in Dhaka next year on a mutually convenient date.

Later in the day, Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam met Matthew Hollingworth, Assistant Executive Director of the World Food Programme (WFP). 

The meeting discussed WFP's humanitarian assistance for forcibly displaced Myanmar nationals in Bangladesh, as well as cooperation on food security, anticipatory action, resilience building, school feeding and nutrition programmes.