DIPLOMATIC CORRESPONDENT

Bangladesh and the European Union are eyeing a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and an Investment Protection Agreement (IPA) after the two sides initialled the Partnership Cooperation Agreement (PCA) in Brussels yesterday.

Bangladesh Foreign Ministry Secretary (East and West) Nazrul Islam and EU Deputy Managing Director (Asia and Pacific) Paola Pampaloni initialled the PCA, while Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humaiun Kobir, and European Commission High Representative Kaja Kallas were present as witnesses.

In a meeting, the two sides welcomed the new PCA as a platform for a forward-looking partnership.

They also highlighted Bangladesh’s post-LDC transition, the importance of preferential market access, and the launch of negotiations on an FTA and an IPA.

According to foreign ministry officials, initialling the PCA means the agreement now has a legal basis, with the draft finalised and agreed upon by both sides in January this year following five rounds of negotiation since 2024.

However, it will take a few months for the PCA to be

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