Bangladesh seeks DFQF in Swiss market until 2029

Foreign Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud has urged Switzerland to follow suit of the European Union (EU) in extending duty-free and Duty-Free Quota-Free (DFQF) trade preferences until 2029.

The minister also invited Swiss investment in IT and agro-processing sectors in Bangladesh, reports UNB.

He stressed on the protracted Rohingya crisis and sought Swiss assistance and support in expediting the Rohingyas’ safe, dignified, and swift repatriation to Myanmar. 

Ambassador of Switzerland to Bangladesh Reto Renggli met the Foreign Minister at his office on Monday and praised Bangladesh’s impressive value chain development journey from the 70’s to this day and flagged the scope of supply chain development where the Swiss side could chip in through their food processing machinery industry.

The ambassador reassured continued Swiss humanitarian support to the Rohingyas, recognising the recent border security issues as well.

The foreign minister and the Swiss ambassador shared their views on wars and conflicts in different parts of the world, including in Ukraine, Gaza and the Red Sea and their resultant negative impacts on the economies of the two countries.

Mr. Renggli congratulated Foreign Minister Dr Hasan on his appointment as the foreign minister.

The foreign minister termed the relations between the two nations as historic and strong.

The Swiss ambassador lauded the spectacular socio-economic development of Bangladesh over the last decade.

Mentioning Swiss President’s visit to Bangladesh in 2018 and Prime Minister’s visit to Switzerland in 2023, the envoy termed Bangladesh-Switzerland ties as ‘solid’.

He expressed hope for signing bilateral Air Services Agreement in March and holding the next Foreign Office Consultations in April to advance bilateral relations further.

Switzerland is a steady partner of Bangladesh in promoting key values - good business practices, multilateral cooperation and a vibrant civil society.