Diplomatic Correspondent

Recognising Germany as the growing academic destination for Bangladeshi students, Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam on Thursday suggested that expedited visa processing would further facilitate academic exchanges.

Additionally, he underscored the importance of broadening legal migration channels for skilled Bangladeshi professionals under the framework of the Bangladesh-EU Talent Partnership.

The foreign secretary made the remarks when German Ambassador to Bangladesh Achim Tröster paid a farewell call on him at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as his diplomatic assignment draws to a close.

He congratulated the ambassador on a successful tenure and lauded his efforts to enhance Bangladesh-Germany relations. He expressed confidence that the momentum built during Ambassador Tröster’s tenure would be sustained by his successor.

FS Siam underscored Germany’s role as Bangladesh’s largest European trading partner and recognised its enduring development assistance across critical areas such as rural development, healthcare, education, energy efficiency and private sector growth, according to the MoFA.

The meeting recalled key milestones of the ambassador’s tenure, including the inaugural Strategic Dialogue held in Berlin in August 2021, progress made through the Climate and Development Partnership and the expansion of trade and cultural cooperation.

The foreign secretary expressed heartfelt appreciation for Germany’s sustained humanitarian support to the forcibly displaced Rohingya population, reaffirming that their early repatriation to Myanmar remains the only durable solution to the crisis.

Siam commended Germany’s global leadership in forward-looking initiatives such as the Global Shield and the Climate Club, expressing optimism that Bangladesh would soon benefit from the associated financial mechanisms to enhance its climate resilience.