Reciprocal visa exemption agreement with Algeria to be signed soon: Home adviser

A reciprocal visa exemption agreement between Bangladesh and Algeria will soon be signed, Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said on Wednesday (30 April).

"The reciprocal visa exemption agreement for diplomatic and official passport holders is now in its final stage," the adviser said during a meeting with Algerian Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Abdelouahab Saidani at his office, reads a ministry press release.

The memorandum of understanding (MoU) in this regard has already been approved by the cabinet and it will be signed at the earliest convenient time subject to the consent of both parties.

The meeting covered a range of issues of mutual interest, including law and order, security concerns, police training, tackling transnational terrorism, sharing intelligence, preventing illegal immigration and human trafficking, and the potential for exporting agricultural labour to Algeria.

At the start of the meeting, the adviser warmly welcomed the Algerian ambassador, stating that Algeria is one of Bangladesh's friendly nations. "We are ready to cooperate in any way to further strengthen our relationship," he added.

Ambassador Saidani expressed a desire to build a strong and productive relationship between the two countries, believing that improved ties would elevate their bilateral relations to a new level.

The adviser mentioned that both countries could collaborate on issues such as preventing illegal immigration, combating human trafficking, tackling transnational terrorism, enhancing security, and exchanging intelligence.

He suggested that a memorandum of understanding (MoU) could be signed to focus on preventing human trafficking and providing mutual legal assistance. The Ambassador requested Bangladesh to send a formal proposal regarding this.

Adviser Jahangir highlighted the many opportunities for cooperation in improving the efficiency and capacity of the police forces in both countries. He stressed the importance of organising joint training sessions and workshops on various security and policing matters.

In addition, the adviser pointed out that Algeria, being the largest country in Africa by area, has vast stretches of cultivable land. In contrast, Bangladesh, although small in size, has a large population, particularly a significant number of farmers. He suggested that if both countries agreed, Bangladesh could consider exporting skilled agricultural workers to Algeria.

Senior officials from the Ministry of Home Affairs also attended the meeting.