Bangladesh–Finland relations

Bangladesh–Finland relations are the bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Finland. Both countries maintain friendly relations and collaborate in areas such as trade, development cooperation, education, and climate change.^[1][2][3] Neither country has a resident ambassdaor. Finland has a non resident ambassador in New Delhi. Bangladesh has a non resident ambassador in Stockholm.

Finland officially recognized Bangladesh's independence on 4 February 1972, shortly after the country's liberation from Pakistan. This recognition laid the foundation for diplomatic relations between the two nations.^[4]

In 1975, Finland initiated bilateral development cooperation with Bangladesh, focusing on development credit and infrastructure projects. Over the years, this cooperation expanded to include sectors such as education, health, and environmental sustainability. Finnish non-governmental organizations (NGOs) also played a role in supporting grassroots development initiatives in Bangladesh.^[5]

In April 2025, Bangladesh and Finland further strengthened their bilateral relations through the fourth round of Bilateral Consultations held in Dhaka. The meeting was led by Finland’s Under-Secretary of State for International Trade, Jarno Syrjälä, and Bangladesh’s Secretary (East) of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Md. Nazrul Islam.^[6][7] Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing cooperation in trade, investment, sustainable development, and other mutual interests. On the same occasion, Bangladesh’s Home Affairs Adviser, Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, urged Syrjälä to consider opening a Finnish embassy in Dhaka, highlighting challenges in visa processing and the need for deeper engagement.^[8][9] Syrjälä acknowledged the importance of the request and pledged to forward it to his government. The discussions also covered labor migration, the role of Bangladeshi expatriates estimated at around 6,000, including many students in Finland’s development, and cooperation on the Rohingya crisis.^[10]

In recent years and 2025, Finland has shown increased interest in enhancing economic ties with Bangladesh. A Finnish business delegation visited Bangladesh, including companies specializing in energy, construction, logistics, and digital technologies. The delegation aimed to explore investment opportunities and establish partnerships with Bangladeshi enterprises.^[11]

The two countries also collaborate on global issues such as climate change and sustainable development. Bangladesh's commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aligns with Finland's foreign policy priorities, providing a framework for continued cooperation.^[5]

While the overall trade volume has experienced fluctuations, both nations have expressed intent to enhance economic cooperation.

In the fiscal year 2018–2019, the total bilateral trade between the two countries stood at approximately US$244 million. However, this figure declined by 47.44% to US$165.61 million in FY2019–2020.^[12][13] During this period, Bangladesh's exports to Finland decreased by US$4.79 million, while imports from Finland dropped from US$204 million to US$130.9 million.^[14][15]

Bangladesh’s primary exports to Finland include ready-made garments, footwear, and jute products. In 2022, Bangladesh exported over US$100 million worth of goods to Finland, with major items being cotton T-shirts (US$38.4 million), cotton sweaters (US$33.4 million), and non-knit men’s suits (US$22.8 million).^[16] On the other hand, Bangladesh imports various industrial goods from Finland, including electrical and electronic equipment, paper and paperboard, and machinery. For example, in 2015, Bangladesh imported electrical and electronic equipment worth US$39.61 million and paper products worth US$10.77 million.^[17]

Bangladesh and Finland have been steadily enhancing their economic relations through bilateral consultations, business delegations, and collaborative initiatives.^[18] The fourth round of Bilateral Consultations held in Dhaka on April 8, 2025, underscored both countries' commitment to deepening economic ties, with a focus on trade, investment, and sustainable development.^[19][20]

During these consultations, both nations expressed satisfaction with the current state of bilateral relations and agreed to explore opportunities to facilitate business partnerships. Finnish enterprises were encouraged to invest in Bangladesh, particularly in sectors such as clean energy, green technology, innovation, digital services, e-commerce, and textiles.^[19][20]

The Finnish business delegation's visit to Bangladesh, comprising companies like Coolbrook, Elematic, Konecranes, Mirasys, Routa Digital, Wirepas, and Wartsila, aimed to establish meaningful connections and explore investment opportunities.^[21] These companies are exploring areas such as smart metering, intelligent traffic management, low-emission technologies for heavy industries, and digital transformation of businesses.^[18][22]

Furthermore, discussions have included Bangladesh's upcoming graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category and the ongoing negotiations on an upgraded Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the EU and Bangladesh. Finland has shown support for these negotiations and encouraged Bangladesh to fulfill obligations related to international conventions, aligning with the transition from the EU’s EBA-system to the GSP+ arrangement.^[19]

Educational collaboration has been supported by European Union-funded programmes such as Erasmus+ and Horizon Europe. Finnish universities have engaged in academic partnerships with Bangladeshi institutions including BRAC University and the University of Dhaka, focusing on topics like sustainability, digital education, and climate adaptation.^[23]

In the development sector, Finnish NGOs such as Finn Church Aid (FCA) have been active in Bangladesh. FCA has implemented programs supporting education for marginalized communities, including Rohingya refugees, thereby indirectly strengthening cultural and educational ties between the two countries.^[24]