December 2009

In the early years of its foundation, Bangladesh followed with keen interest and supported Vietnam’s struggle  for independence. There was a strong and nation-wide movement of Bangladeshi people to support Vietnam. Bangladesh was one of the first countries in Asia to recognized and established diplomatic relations at ambassadorial level with Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam. On February 11, 1973, Vietnam and Bangladesh officially established diplomatic relation. Two sides started exchange of visits and economic and trade interaction. On July, 1982, Vietnam closed its Embassy in Dhaka as economic difficulties. 

 Since 1990 up to now, there have been new and important progresses, both political and economic, in the bilateral relations between Vietnam and Bangladesh. On November, 1993, Bangladesh opened its Embassy in Ha Noi and Vietnam re-opened its Embassy in Dhaka on January, 2003.

Two sides have exchanged a number of high-level visits over the years. Visits to Bangladesh are those paid by Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet (9-10 March 1997), President Tran Duc Luong (22-24 March 2004), Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Dy Nien (16-18 July 2003), Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Le Duong Quang (14-17 November 2009) visited Bangladesh. Visits to Vietnam are those paid by Minister of Commerce T. Ahmed (9/1996), Minister of Foreign Affairs A. S. Azad (5/1999), Minister of Agriculture (10/2003), Minister of Foreign Affairs M.Morshed Khan and Minister of Cultural Affairs Selima Rahman (7/2004), Prime Minister Khaleda Zia (5/2005), Minister of Industry Dilip Barua 30-31 May 2009), Delegation of Privatization Commission, Deputy Minister of Science and Information & Communication (15-23 August 2009), Minister of Post and Telecommunication R. U. Ahmed (26-28 August 2009), Minister of Health and Family Welfare Ruhal Haque (18-19 November 2009) visited Vietnam. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Gia Khiem met  Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dipu Moni on the sidelines of the 15th NAM Summit in Egypt (16 July 2009).

The 1st meeting of the Join Commission between Viet Nam and Bangladesh (chaired by Ministries of Trade and Industry) was held in Hanoi (6-7 February 2006).
Vietnam-Bangladesh bilateral trade, yet modest, is progressing positively. Bilateral trade turnover reached 64,6  million USD in 2008.
Vietnam’s main export items to Bangladesh are cloths, plastic products, products made from bamboo, sedge and rattan, rubber, computer, electrics, wood, pottery, porcelain... Vietnam’s main import items from Bangladesh are pharmaceuticals, cloths of all kinds, leather& textile materials, jute of all kinds, machinery equipments and tools, electrical spare parts, fertilizer...
 - Cooperation between the two countries in other fields is still at low level, mainly focusing on experience sharing in infrastructure development, small and medium enterprises, aquaculture, environment protection... Two sides are trying to upgrade cooperation in economic and commercial fields and others namely agriculture and fisheries, industry, handicraft, finance and banking, culture, training and education, tourism, health... in conformity with good political relation.
Vietnam and Bangladesh have good cooperation at international fora namely United Nations, Non-Aligned Movement, ASEAN...
 
Bilateral Treaties and Agreements:
- Agreement on Aviation Transportation (1993)
- MOU on Political Consultation between two Ministries of Foreign Affairs (1994)
- Agreement on Economic and Scientific and Technological cooperation (1994)
- Trade Agreement (1996)
- Culture Agreement (1997)
- Agreement on Establishment of the Joint Commission for Economic, Trade, Cultural, Scientific and Technological Cooperation (1997)
- Agreement on cooperation between Vietnam News Agency and National News Agency of Bangladesh (1997)
- MOU on cooperation between Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries (1997)
- Agreement on cooperation in water resources development and flood management (1999)
- Agreement on visa exemption for diplomatic and official passport holders (1999)
- Agreement on double taxation avoidance (2004)
- Protocol on cooperation in agriculture (2004)
- Protocol on cultural exchange program for 2004-2007 (2004)
- Agreement on Investment Promotion and Protection (May, 2005)