Staff Correspondent
A special dinner was organized in Dhaka on Wednesday (January 7, 2026) to further strengthen diplomatic and commercial relations between Bangladesh and Uruguay.
The event, held on the top floor of the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Gulshan-2, was held on the occasion of the first high-level consultation meeting between the foreign ministries of Bangladesh and Uruguay. The dinner, organized on the theme of South America, was organized by the Honorary Consulate of Uruguay in Dhaka.
Uruguayan Ambassador to Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka Alberto Guayani was present at the event. He said that Bangladesh is emerging as an important partner for Uruguay and a roadmap has already been prepared to further advance the political and diplomatic relations between the two countries. He emphasized the importance of increasing political engagement between the two countries.
Ambassador Alberto Guani said that the relations between Bangladesh and Uruguay can gain a new dimension through the exchange of visits at the head of state level in the future. He mentioned that the Uruguayan President has not yet visited India, but the possibility of visiting Bangladesh along with that visit is also being seriously considered. According to him, a visit at the head of state level will further deepen the bilateral relations.
Referring to the current political reality of Bangladesh, he said that it is not desirable for any country to not have a visit at the head of state level after a long break. He commented that Uruguay is optimistic about the rapid progress in Bangladesh. At the same time, he wished the people of Bangladesh well.
Referring to the upcoming national elections, the Uruguayan Ambassador said that holding elections through a democratic process is a very positive thing. Uruguay firmly believes in democracy and believes that democracy is the best way to run a country. From this perspective, they want to see Bangladesh as an important partner.
At the event, Uruguayan Honorary Consul Mustafa Kamrus Sobhan said that the first high-level consultation meeting between Bangladesh and Uruguay was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs today, which has paved the way for taking the relations between the two countries to a new height. Stating that the current trade volume between the two countries is about 80 million US dollars, he expressed hope to increase this amount significantly in the future.
He also said that Bangladesh will face new trade challenges after graduating from LDC. In this situation, a preferential trade agreement or free trade agreement with countries like Uruguay, Brazil and Argentina can ensure Bangladesh’s access to the market of about 500 million people. Uruguay will assume the chairmanship of Mercosur in July this year, which is being considered a big opportunity for Bangladesh.
Argentine Ambassador to Bangladesh Marcelo Carlos Sesa said at the event that the relations between Argentina and Uruguay are deeply bound by history and culture. Welcoming Bangladesh’s interest in South America, he expressed hope that Bangladesh-Uruguay relations will become stronger in the future.
Mohammad Shajibul-al-Rajib, Executive Editor of Daily Dhaka Dialogue, was also present at the event.
