Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Dharmapala Weerakkody, paid a courtesy call on the newly appointed Foreign Secretary of Bangladesh, Ambassador Asad Alam Siam, during which the two sides held extensive discussions on enhancing bilateral cooperation.
The meeting, also attended by Minister Counsellor (Commerce) Srimali Jayaratne, focused on advancing collaboration in key sectors such as trade, investment, pharmaceuticals, ICT, education, and tourism.
High Commissioner Weerakkody congratulated Ambassador Siam on his new role and highlighted the strengthening economic and cultural ties between the two countries. He noted the growing number of Bangladeshi tourists visiting Sri Lanka and underscored the potential to further enhance tourism cooperation. He also urged the early convening of the next round of Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) within the year and called for the expedited finalisation of pending bilateral Agreements and MoUs.
A key area discussed was the procurement of pharmaceuticals from Bangladesh. The High Commissioner requested support from the Bangladeshi Foreign Ministry to fast-track the finalisation of a Government-to-Government MoUfor Sri Lanka to purchase medicines from Bangladesh.
Ambassador Siam reaffirmed Bangladesh’s commitment to strengthening ties with Sri Lanka, particularly in economic cooperation. He stressed the value of expanding into new areas such as maritime affairs, education, ICT, tourism, and pharmaceuticals, noting that such efforts would provide mutual benefits.
He also welcomed Sri Lanka’s proposal to hold the Foreign Office Consultations by the end of 2025, recognising it as a platform to deepen strategic and people-centric collaboration.
Also present at the meeting were Ishrat Jahan, Director General of the South Asia Division, and Director Baky Billahfrom the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh.
