Bangladesh has conveyed its readiness to elevate bilateral trade ties with Indonesia to a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) while seeking Jakarta’s support to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

The issues were highlighted on Wednesday during a courtesy call paid by Indonesian Ambassador to Bangladesh Her Excellency Listyowati on State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

During the meeting, both sides discussed a broad range of bilateral and mutual interest issues, including trade and commerce, energy investment, disaster management, education and training, capacity building, tourism, cultural exchange, people-to-people contact, consular affairs, exchange of high-level visits, and cooperation on regional and global platforms.

To strengthen and diversify bilateral trade, the state minister urged Indonesia to import more Bangladeshi goods and services. He also requested Jakarta to simplify visa procedures for Bangladeshi citizens to boost tourism, cultural ties, and public engagement between the two nations.

In response, the Indonesian ambassador reaffirmed her support for diversifying Bangladesh’s exports to Indonesia, particularly in pharmaceuticals and other high-potential sectors.

Noting the vulnerability of both nations to natural hazards, the state minister expressed keen interest in deepening cooperation on disaster management. Welcoming the proposal, the envoy stressed the importance of capacity-building initiatives and sharing knowledge and best practices to mitigate the impacts of natural disasters.

Additionally, the state minister solicited Indonesia’s support for Bangladesh’s bid to become a Sectoral Dialogue Partner of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to working closely together across bilateral, regional, and international forums on issues of common interest.