Bangladesh-EU dialogue to weigh migration woes, trade worries

Highlights:

• Bangladesh enjoys duty- and quota-free market access to EU
• Out of €22b in bilateral trade in 2024, Bangladesh exported €20b
• EU businesses seek 'fair treatment'
• Migration will dominate next week's dialogue
• Bangladeshis accounts for largest irregular arrivals to EU

Bangladesh and the European Union (EU) are going to hold a "Mobility and Migration Dialogue" in Dhaka on 9-10 September. While irregular migration will dominate the agenda, officials in Dhaka and Brussels hint that bilateral trade and investment issues could surface, particularly as the EU remains Bangladesh's top export partner at a time when shifting global tariff policies redraw the rules of market access.

Foreign Adviser Md Touhid Hossain will lead the Bangladesh side, while Henning Rödler, Director-General of the European Commission's Directorate-General for Migration and Home Affairs (DG HOME), will lead the EU delegation. Rödler oversees internal security, migration, and border management across the EU.

Apart from migration, the EU will send election monitoring and parliamentary delegations later in September. French MEP Monir Satori will lead a human rights mission that is expected to meet political parties, civil society, media, and NGOs. The Election Commission has already outlined its roadmap for the 13th parliamentary election scheduled for early February 2026.

The EU has long been a critical development and trade partner of Bangladesh. Since 2001, Dhaka has enjoyed duty- and quota-free market access under the "Everything But Arms" (EBA) scheme, making the EU the country's largest and most reliable trading partner. Out of €22 billion in bilateral trade in 2024, Bangladesh exported €20 billion, with EU exports worth only €2 billion, leaving Dhaka with a strong trade surplus.

However, the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (EuroCham) recently urged the interim government not to discriminate against EU businesses while considering trade concessions for the United States.

"We encourage the Government to reaffirm its commitment to a rules-based trading system and to ensure fair treatment for all partners," said EuroCham Chairperson Nuria Lopez, adding that the chamber stands ready to assist Bangladesh in its post-LDC graduation transition.

Diplomatic sources in Dhaka said the EU's political engagement is expected to remain measured. "The EU understands the government must navigate a difficult path. They don't want to meddle much in Bangladesh's domestic politics at this stage, especially as they are preoccupied with trade and the Ukraine war," said an official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Still, migration will dominate next week's dialogue, sources said. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), Bangladeshis accounted for the largest number of irregular arrivals to EU countries during the first six months of 2024.

Dhaka missions in Italy, Germany, Spain, France, Portugal, Poland, Greece, Romania and Brussels reportedly lack proper documentation of Bangladeshi migrants. In recent years, Brussels has handed Dhaka lists of undocumented migrants, urging their return.

A senior Bangladeshi diplomat admitted that successive governments in Dhaka had overlooked the problem. "Irregular migration has squeezed the scope of regular migration for genuine visa seekers," he said.

Italy remains the top EU destination for Bangladeshis, with 2,50,000 currently living there. Italian Ambassador Antonio Alessandro said they contribute €1.2 billion annually in remittances, adding: "Bangladeshis in Italy are workers, entrepreneurs, and families with long-term prospects, making them a well-integrated and prosperous community." Former Bangladesh envoy to Italy Md Shameem Ahsan also noted the "significant contribution of Bangladeshi expatriates to Italy's G-7 economy."

The EU, meanwhile, continues to push for stronger border controls and external partnerships to manage irregular migration. Officials in Dhaka and Brussels said next week's talks will focus on safe, regular, and organised migration routes, particularly with Italy.