Dhaka – Bangladesh has proposed a tenfold increase in its manpower export to Russia, and Moscow has agreed to work expeditiously on the proposal, according to a press statement released by Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday.
Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, currently on a three‑day official visit to Russia, made the proposal during a meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, on Monday.
The minister proposed raising the number of Bangladeshi workers in Russia from the current level of nearly 10,000 to 100,000 within the next year, the statement said.
The Russian authorities agreed to move swiftly on the proposal, and both sides are expected to complete the necessary formalities soon, it added.
Bilateral trade expansion
Beyond manpower cooperation, Bangladesh and Russia acknowledged that bilateral trade remains well below its potential and agreed that it should be significantly expanded.
Rahman highlighted the potential for rapidly increasing Bangladeshi exports to the Russian market, particularly garments and pharmaceutical products.
The Russian side welcomed Bangladesh’s proposal to send a business delegation to Russia in the coming weeks to explore new trade opportunities and strengthen commercial ties.
Cooperation in technology, especially artificial intelligence (AI), also featured prominently in the discussions.
The foreign minister proposed a visit by a Russian delegation to Bangladesh to share expertise on AI applications in agriculture and healthcare, a proposal that received an immediate positive response.
Russia also expressed interest in assisting Bangladesh in formulating its national AI policy and establishing AI centers of excellence.
Rahman, who is accompanying the Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs, Humaiun Kabir, on the visit, is expected to return to Dhaka by Wednesday.
Call to scale up bilateral trade
Russia’s state news agency TASS reported that Rahman told a joint press conference that Bangladesh and Russia have broad opportunities to scale up bilateral trade volumes.
“We discussed the need to further expand our ties in different fields. There is ample scope for substantially increasing our trade volumes in both directions. We discussed ways to accomplish this and will continue to keep some ideas on the table—such as the possibility of granting duty‑ and quota‑free treatment and assisting us in concluding a preferential agreement with the Eurasian Economic Union,” the minister was quoted as saying.
BRICS membership
Regarding BRICS, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that while the process of admitting new members is currently on hold, Russia will welcome Bangladesh as a candidate for membership once the pause ends.
BRICS is an intergovernmental organisation comprising major emerging economies: Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Indonesia.
As for BRICS, the members currently comprising the group have agreed to put the admission of new members on hold for the time being, Lavrov said after talks with the top Bangladeshi diplomat.
“But our stance on Bangladesh’s candidature when this pause is over is as follows: we will welcome the candidature of this large and important Asian nation,” Lavrov stressed.
According to the top Russian diplomat, the advantages of BRICS membership are obvious. “That is why a large number of countries, more than the current number of BRICS members, want to join in these advantages,” he said.
“We fully understand the aspirations of the applicants, including our friends from Bangladesh, who are already members and shareholders of the New Development Bank and are very pleased with such participation.”
Bangladesh seeks Russia’s support for joining BRICS
TASS also reported that Bangladesh expects Russia’s support regarding the country’s participation in BRICS. “We are very grateful for the words of support you have for our candidature for BRICS. Once the pause is over, we would very much like Russia—specifically you—to help us obtain BRICS membership,” the Bangladeshi minister added.
