Written by The Banking Post
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is likely to visit Bangladesh in December this year as Dhaka and Rome look to deepen economic cooperation and strengthen collaboration on safe migration.
Meloni met Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus on Wednesday afternoon (New York time) on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly. The two leaders discussed trade, migration, and broader bilateral cooperation.
“The Italian Prime Minister expects that she will come to Bangladesh in December,” Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam told reporters after the meeting.
A key focus of the talks was safe migration, with both sides acknowledging the urgent need to tackle irregular migration routes that have claimed the lives of many Bangladeshis in the Mediterranean. “A lot of people are lured from Bangladesh into human trafficking, and in many cases, it turns into a tragedy,” Alam said, adding that the discussions centered on creating safer pathways for migrant workers.
During the meeting, Prof Yunus stressed the importance of expanding trade relations. In response, Meloni proposed forming an Italy–Bangladesh Business Forum to boost investment and explore new opportunities in key sectors.
Meloni’s visit to New York spanned September 23–24, where she attended the UNGA and held bilateral meetings with the leaders of South Korea and Paraguay before her engagement with the Bangladesh delegation.
Bangladesh and Italy have recently stepped up collaboration on security issues as well. During Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi’s visit to Dhaka in May, the two countries agreed to enhance cooperation in combating transnational organised crimes, including human trafficking, migrant smuggling, terrorism, and cybercrime. Both sides also agreed to establish a joint committee for capacity-building, intelligence sharing, and law enforcement training.
If Meloni’s planned visit materialises in December, it would mark a significant step forward in strengthening the partnership between Bangladesh and Italy, combining efforts in economic growth and safe migration.
