Bhutan, Bangladesh Show Interest in Free Trade Agreement

Bhutanese Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay and Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus met on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday and discussed signing a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) to strengthen economic ties.

According to a post by Yunus on X, Tobgay proposed linking Bhutan’s Special Economic Zone—Gelephu Mindfulness City—with Bangladesh’s Kurigram Special Economic Zone, which Dhaka has earmarked for Bhutanese investors, to boost trade and investment. Yunus welcomed the idea, saying both countries should explore every avenue to expand trade and connectivity.

Tobgay also highlighted Bhutan’s plans to promote religious tourism, noting the historic role of Bangladeshi Buddhist monks in spreading the faith. He invited Bangladeshi investment in Bhutan’s hydropower and pharmaceutical sectors and sought support for establishing fibre-optic connectivity.

The two leaders additionally discussed the Rohingya crisis. Tobgay confirmed Bhutan’s participation in the UN plenary session on the issue scheduled for September 30. Yunus invited Tobgay to visit Bangladesh, and the Bhutanese prime minister said he hoped to do so before Bangladesh’s general elections expected in February.

After the meeting, Tobgay wrote on X that they explored ways to deepen bilateral cooperation. – ANI/RSS