Bangladesh advocates for increased student admissions, IT professional recruitment in Ireland

Bangladesh has underlined the importance of admitting more Bangladeshi students and recruiting meritorious IT professionals in Ireland's universities and its tech industry under European Union (EU) talent partnerships.

Bangladesh and Ireland held their first-ever Foreign Office Consultations (FOC) in Dublin on Monday (13 May) at the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and signed the first Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on "Biennial Consultations" between the Foreign Ministries of both countries.

This would be the first time any agreement has been signed in the 52 years of diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and Ireland.

Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen led the Bangladesh delegation while his Irish counterpart Secretary-General Joseph Hackett led the Ireland delegation.

Bangladesh Ambassador to Ireland Saida Muna Tasneem attended the FOC along with senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dhaka and Bangladesh High Commission, London.

The two countries further underscored the need for opening embassies in their respective capitals at the earliest to maximise the potentials of emerging bilateral collaborations, according to Bangladesh High Commission in London.

The two sides also discussed future climate cooperation bilaterally and multilaterally including the loss and damage fund, adaptation, and investments into renewable energy especially offshore wind energy plants in Bangladesh.

They also discussed regional and international issues including the situation in Gaza, Ukraine war and Rohingya crisis.

Commenting on the talks, The Bangladesh foreign secretary told the media, "I had a very fruitful discussion with my Irish counterpart Ambassador Joe Hackett covering the entire gamut of our bilateral relations including political and humanitarian support demonstrated by the Irish people and politicians during our War of Liberation in 1971."

He said they explored new opportunities for enhancing bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, gainful employment, migration and mobility and welfare of nearly 20 thousand Bangladeshis living in Ireland.

The foreign secretary also paid tribute to former Irish Foreign Minister Seán MacBride, who created an inquiry commission seeking justice on the brutal assassination of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

Recalling the very recent official visit of the Irish Enterprise, Trade and Employment Minister Simon Coveney TD to Bangladesh on the occasion of St Patrick's Day, Secretary General Joe reiterated the commitment of the Irish government towards forward-looking and positive engagements with Bangladesh including in the areas of trade, investment, recruitment of health professionals and climate change.

The Irish secretary general praised the tremendous growth and socio-economic progress achieved by Bangladesh over the past decade and a half under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and thanked her for her extraordinary humanitarian gesture of hosting more than a million Rohingyas from Myanmar.

Secretary General Hackett said he was looking forward to visiting Bangladesh for the second foreign office consultations.