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H.E. Mr. Rinchen Kuentsyl, Ambassador Bhutan to Bangladesh.
Welcome to the official website of the Royal Bhutanese Embassy in Dhaka, Bangladesh!
The special ties between Bhutan and Bangladesh date back to the emergence of Bangladesh as an independent nation. On December 6, 1971, Bhutan became the first country to recognize the independence of Bangladesh. Formal diplomatic relations between the neighboring countries were established on May 12, 1973, followed by the establishment of the respective resident missions in Thimphu and Dhaka in 1980.
The year 2021 is a historic year for both countries, the golden jubilee of the recognition of an independent Bangladesh by Bhutan. To mark this special occasion, Bhutan and Bangladesh signed a Preferential Trade Agreement, the first of its kind for both countries, on December 6, 2020. This was followed by a state visit to Bangladesh by Honorable Prime Minister Dr. Lotay Tshering in March 2021 to participate in the centennial birth anniversary celebrations of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, observed under the theme of “Mujib Borsho.”
Besides being a friendly neighbor, Bangladesh has increasingly become a major trading partner for Bhutan, and today it is the second largest export destination for Bhutan and the only country with whom Bhutan enjoys a trade surplus. While the two countries witnessed astronomical growth in the value of bilateral trade in recent years, with the figure attaining a record high of $90 million in 2019, the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted the otherwise burgeoning trade flow. Nevertheless, several efforts have been made over the past one year at different levels to revamp bilateral trade through improved trade facilitation and deeper multimodal connectivity.
Bangladesh is one of the fastest growing economies in the region, and its progress—characterized by remarkable GDP growth rates in recent years—has become an epitome of economic success, so much so that it is today dubbed the new Asian tiger. Bhutan and Bangladesh have walked similar development paths on the socio-economic front, and the two countries are slated to attain LDC graduation within the next five years. Therefore, the year 2021 not only provides the two countries a platform to celebrate the golden jubilee of the inception of bilateral relations but also a special opportunity to cherish the shared journey of socioeconomic progress.
The historic bond of friendship and cooperation between the two countries has come a long way, driven by frequent interactions at the highest levels of political leadership and enduring commercial and people-to-people ties. It is my sincere hope that our robust bilateral partnerships—embedded in goodwill, mutual understanding and a common purpose for shared prosperity—will further be strengthened and enter greater heights in the years ahead.
Tashi Delek!
September 15, 2021