Ambassador: Bangladesh consistently supports Azerbaijan's position on international platforms

Bangladesh is one of the countries supporting Azerbaijan's just cause in the international arena. The country's non-resident Ambassador to Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Turkmenistan, based in Türkiye, Amanul Haq, in an interview with Report, stated that after the first round of political consultations between the Foreign Ministries of Azerbaijan and Bangladesh in June 2024, a new era of cooperation between the two countries has begun. As an ambassador, he outlined his priorities stemming from his duties and authorities for implementing the expansion of political, economic, educational, cultural, and tourism relations between the countries, visa simplification, and other matters.

- Mr. Ambassador, until 2020, the ambassador of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, also served as the ambassador of his country to Azerbaijan. Then this function was given to the ambassador of Bangladesh, who resides in Iran. In 2024, Bangladesh's ambassador to Azerbaijan will exercise his powers again from Türkiye. During your diplomatic activity, what will be your main priorities in expanding relations between our countries?

- As you mentioned, after 2020, the Bangladesh Embassy in Iran was officially accredited to Azerbaijan. However, due to practical and political challenges, it became difficult for the Bangladesh Community living in Azerbaijan to receive adequate support from the Embassy of Bangladesh in Iran. They have also requested to change the Embassy from Iran to Türkiye and after considerable efforts to explain the situation back in Bangladesh, the decision was made to reassign the Ambassador to Azerbaijan from Türkiye this year.

There are several key areas where relations between our two countries have not yet been fully developed or properly implemented due to limited communication and engagement. Bangladesh and Azerbaijan have numerous potential areas for collaboration, especially in trade, investment, education, culture, and ICT. My main priority will be to expedite progress in these sectors and strengthen bilateral ties.

- How do you assess the relations between Azerbaijan and Bangladesh?

- Diplomatic relations between our two countries were established in 1992, with Bangladesh being the 13th nation to formalize ties with Azerbaijan. Over the years, these relations have steadily grown, especially in the multilateral context, where our two countries collaborate closely in the United Nations, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and other international fora.

- Azerbaijan and Bangladesh cooperate within the framework of the UN and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). Our countries are also a part of Islamic culture. What can you say about it?

- Definitely, the common Islamic Culture of both countries raise the potential to bring us much closer to each other compare to other countries with different cultural orientations. Both Bangladesh and Azerbaijan are active members of the OIC and have aligned positions in the UN and other international platforms, where we support each other’s interests. For example, Bangladesh has consistently supported Azerbaijan's position on the issue of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. In turn, Azerbaijan has supported Bangladesh in various international candidacies, such as for CEDAW, ITU, UNSC elections, and others.

Our cooperation also includes reciprocal support in multilateral organizations. For instance, Azerbaijan backed Bangladesh's candidacy for the International Organization for Migration (IOM), International Maritime Organization (IMO), and the Human Rights Council (UNHRC) between 2016 and 2019. Similarly, a mutual support arrangement exists between our two countries for respective candidacies in these organizations.

- By the way, what steps should be taken for relations between our countries in this field?

- As I mentioned earlier, the majority of our cooperation has been at the multilateral level, so there is certainly room to expand and deepen bilateral ties. We need to prioritize increasing high-level exchanges and organizing regular Foreign Office Consultations to strengthen diplomatic engagement. You will be happy to know that this June (2024) we had our 1st ever FOC with Azerbaijan. Implementing the goals identified through this FOC would be the 1st step toward strengthening further our bilateral relations. We should also aim to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on economic cooperation and set up a Joint Economic Commission as soon as possible.

Additionally, we will actively encourage Azeri investors to explore opportunities in Bangladesh’s growing economy, which would help boost trade between our nations. Expanding cooperation in areas like trade, education, health, and culture will also be central to our efforts to deepen bilateral relations.

- In February of this year, the Azerbaijani Parliament assumes the chairmanship of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly (APA) for a period of two years. How do you assess Azerbaijan-Bangladesh relations within the mentioned organization?

- Azerbaijan’s leadership of the Asian Parliamentary Assembly presents an excellent opportunity to further strengthen the ties between our two countries' parliaments, as well as deepen cooperation with other Asian nations. This platform allows us to enhance bilateral dialogue and work on shared regional and global challenges.

- One of the similarities between our countries is that we are multinational. This is also the basis for tolerance. You have been to Baku. How did you see this similarity and what do you know about our history in general?

- My first visit to Azerbaijan was in 2006 when I was working at the OIC. Since then, I have visited Baku on different occasions and have noticed substantial changes in Baku and throughout the country. Azerbaijan’s history is a blend of Turkish and Persian influences, stretching back over a thousand years.

I would not call Bangladesh a multinational but rather a multireligious country. However, you are right to highlight that Azerbaijan is multinational, with a Muslim-majority population like Bangladesh, which naturally fosters tolerance and a sense of shared cultural values. There are indeed many similarities between our societies, which can serve as a foundation for stronger bilateral ties.

- Despite the long distance between us, is it possible to establish tourism relations between our countries?

- In today’s world, distance is no longer an insurmountable barrier, thanks to modern communication and travel technologies. Promoting people-to-people exchanges is crucial, as it will encourage more tourism between our countries. For instance, when people from Bangladesh visit Türkiye, they could also consider visiting Azerbaijan to explore the country's rich cultural heritage and tourism offerings. Similarly, Azerbaijanis traveling to India could include Bangladesh in their itinerary, both for cultural exchanges and business opportunities.

By fostering stronger tourism relations, we can create more avenues for mutual understanding and cooperation, benefiting both nations.