Brazilian FM arrives today

Brazilian Foreign Minister Mauro Vieira   will arrive in Dhaka today (Sunday) for a two-day official visit to discuss bilateral issues and strengthen trade and investment ties with Bangladesh.

The two countries are likely to sign an agreement on technical cooperation and three MoUs on sports, agriculture, and defence, according to the Foreign Ministry.

On Monday, the Brazilian Foreign Minister will meet Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at Ganabhaban in morning.

 Foreign Minister Hasan Mahmud will have a bilateral meeting with his Brazilian counterpart at state guesthouse Jamuna, which is scheduled to begin at 4:45 pm on Sunday. The two Foreign Ministers will jointly brief the media on the outcome of the bilateral meeting.  Hasan Mahmud will host an iftar and dinner in honour of his Brazilian counterpart on Sunday evening.

Brazilian Foreign Minister will have meetings State Minister for Commerce Ahsanul Islam Titu and business leaders of Bangladesh.

Brazil is keen to export beef to Bangladesh which will cost around Tk 500 per kg.  

According to Brazilian export data, Brazil sold beef to 126 countries in 2023. China and Hong Kong continue to be the top two destinations for Brazilian beef exports.  

Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen will receive Mauro Vieira at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka upon his arrival at 9:30 am.

He will visit Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32 on Sunday afternoon to pay tribute to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, a senior official at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs told.
 
On Monday, after his meeting with PM Hasina, Mauro Vieira will visit Square Pharmaceuticals facilities and Beximco Industrial Park in Gazipur.  

The Brazilian Foreign Minister together with a business delegation will meet business leaders in Dhaka.

Countrys apex trade body, FBCCI, will host an iftar and dinner in honour of the Brazilian Foreign Minister and business delegation members on Monday evening.
 
The country is becoming better known among the Brazilian public who wear more and more "Made in Bangladesh" garments.

Bangladesh mainly imports soya, soybean oil, cotton and sugar, worth over $2 billion. The export of ready-made garments is about $200 million.

However, Bangladesh does not get any duty-free market access.

During the visit, the Bangladesh side will request for duty-free market access of ready-made clothes.

The foreign minister also acknowledged that the South American market remained unexplored.

"Brazil is a big country and their purchasing power is also high. So, we have scopes to enhance our trade relations," Hasan Mahmud said.

Brazil and Bangladesh, despite being geographically distant, share common interests and potentials for collaboration in various sectors such as agriculture, textiles, technology, and renewable energy.

 On Monday afternoon, the Brazilian Foreign Minister is scheduled to deliver a lecture on Brazils priority areas at G20 as the current chair. The event will be held at Foreign Service Academy at 3 pm.

Data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics point to the production of 8.91 million tons of beef last year, 11.2 percent more than in 2022.  

Foreign Minister Hasan described the visit of the Foreign Minister of Brazil as very significant.
 
"FBCCI will meet with them. We import edible oil and other products from Brazil. Our exports to South America remain largely unexplored," he said.  

Hasan said Brazil is a big country, and their purchasing power is also high. "So there is a great opportunity to increase trade relations with them."  

The government of Brazil earlier congratulated Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on her recent election victory.

Brazil expressed its willingness to continue deepening relations with Bangladesh, in favour of the development of both countries, the promotion of South-South cooperation, and the fight against poverty, hunger, and climate crisis.  

Brazil-Bangladesh diplomatic relations, established in 1972, have strengthened in recent years.  

In 2023, President Lula and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina met on the sidelines of the BRICS Summit in South Africa.

Last year, bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Brazil reached the US$ 2.3 billion mark.

The Brazilian Foreign Minister is scheduled to leave Dhaka at 11:55 pm on Monday.  

Additional Foreign Secretary (Bilateral) Dr Nazrul Islam will be there at the Dhaka airport to see him off.
 
Brazil established diplomatic relations with Bangladesh in 1972 soon after the victory on December 16, 1971. Brazil is a household name in Bangladesh due to its prominence in football.

Brazilian Ambassador in Dhaka Paulo Fernando Dias Feres recently said the two-way trade crossed $2 billion "without institutional help".

"So, we believe it is high time to give it a push," he had said, observing that both politically and economically, Bangladesh is receiving much more attention from Brasilia.