Staff Correspondent

Bangladesh and the European Union (EU) have observed that a Comprehensive Partnership Agreement would elevate the existing ties from a development-centric to a broad-based political partnership.

The observation was made at the closing session of the two-day first introductory meeting on the negotiations on a Comprehensive Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between Bangladesh and the EU on November 5 and 6 in the capital, a foreign ministry's press release said here today.

Additional Foreign Secretary (bilateral) Dr. Md. Nazrul Islam and Deputy Managing Director of the Asia and Pacific Division at the European External Action Service Paola Pampaloni led their respective delegation at the meeting.

Ambassador of Bangladesh to Belgium and Permanent Representative to the EU Mahbuub Hasan Saleh as well as officials from the EU are also taking part in the discussion virtually from Brussels.

Chief negotiators from both sides expressed their satisfaction on the substantive discussions as well as exchanged gifts as token of appreciation at the end of final session.

The discussion observed that the agreement will keep Bangladesh remains robustly tuned to the EU towards a journey of immense possibilities of broad based cooperation.

The meeting was marked as a landmark in the historic bilateral relationship between Bangladesh and the EU.

The discussions, organised into three main sessions, covered a range of issues, including institutional provisions, international peace and security, governance and human rights, justice, and cooperation on trade and related matters.