Diplomatic correspondent //

Bangladesh has already signed a memorandum of understanding to increase legal immigration in Italy in addition to stopping illegal immigration. Bangladesh wants to strengthen relations with Italy by increasing trade and investment, and cooperating in the security and defense sectors, along with immigration. These issues will be of importance in the formal meeting of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni with the Chief Advisor to the interim government, Professor Muhammad Yunus, on August 31.

Officials of the Foreign Ministry said that Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka on the evening of August 30. After a formal meeting, private discussions and lunch with the Chief Advisor on August 31, she may leave Dhaka on the same day.

An inter-ministerial meeting was held on Sunday morning regarding the proposed visit of the Italian Prime Minister to be held next month. The meeting was chaired by Foreign Secretary Asad Alam Siam.

# Migration, trade, security and defense cooperation will gain importance
# First visit of a top European leader to Dhaka during this government
# Italian Prime Minister came to Dhaka in 1998

In the afternoon, several senior officials of the ministry told this reporter that the inter-ministerial meeting discussed which sectors of cooperation could be on the agenda of the upcoming bilateral meeting with the Italian Prime Minister.

When asked which sectors of cooperation could gain importance in the August summit, an official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on ‘Migration and Mobility’ signed last May is an important progress in the field of migration. In continuation of this, the issue will come up for discussion. It goes without saying that this issue can gain special importance. In addition, issues of trade, investment, security and defense sectors can also gain importance.

An official said that at the moment, the bilateral trade volume of Bangladesh with Italy is about one and a half billion dollars. Along with ready-made garments, leather products are also sent to the country. Now, there is a possibility of increasing trade and investment between the two countries by utilizing their technology. These issues may also come up for discussion.

This will be the first visit to Dhaka by a top leader of a Western country during the caretaker government led by Professor Yunus. Earlier, the then Prime Minister of Italy, Romano Prodi, came to Dhaka in January 1998. That was the first visit by a prime minister of the country to Bangladesh.

Bangladesh signed a memorandum of understanding with Italy on ‘Migration and Mobility’ in May to stop illegal immigration and increase legal immigration. Professor Asif Nazrul, Advisor on Expatriate Welfare and Overseas Employment, signed on behalf of Bangladesh, and Matteo Piantedosi, Home Minister of that country, signed on behalf of Italy.

Advisor Asif Nazrul said at the MoU signing ceremony that this initiative is to increase legal immigration. The goal is that those who want to go to Italy can go safely and get good wages. Italy will recruit workers in both ‘seasonal’ and ‘non-seasonal’ ways.

At that time, Italian Home Minister Matteo Piantedosi said that Bangladesh-Italy relations are long-standing. They always encourage workers to come legally. The Italian government has been working on this for a long time. Through this MoU, the friendship between the two countries will further increase.

Expressed his opinion.