Indonesian Ambassador Presents Credentials to President of Bangladesh

RRI.CO.ID, Dhaka – Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia to Bangladesh and Nepal, Listyowati, officially presented her Letters of Credence to the President of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, Mohammed Shabuddin. It was held during a state ceremony at Bangabhaban, Dhaka, Thursday, 22 January 2026.

The presentation marked the beginning of Ambassador Listyowati’s tenure and served as a strategic momentum to strengthen Indonesia–Bangladesh bilateral relations.

On the occasion, Ambassador Listyowati affirmed the importance of cooperation in trade, investment, and energy. She noted that Indonesia and Bangladesh have maintained strong economic ties, with bilateral trade averaging USD 3 billion per year and reaching USD 3.6 billion in 2025.

Indonesia is Bangladesh’s third-largest trading partner, particularly as a supplier of coal, palm oil, industrial raw materials, and food products. She said this cooperation will be further strengthened through the Indonesia-Bangladesh Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA), energy projects under the Government-to-Government (G-to-G) scheme, as well as state-owned and private investments, including the opening of the Alfamart retail chain and continued investment by PT Jafpa Comfeed in the livestock sector.

“We hope this cooperation can promote job creation, enhance human resource capacity, and diversify the flagship products of both countries,” the Ambassador said.

In addition to economic cooperation, Listyowati highlighted the strengthening of partnerships in security, defense, and people-to-people contact through scholarships and cultural exchanges. Indonesia will also serve as Chair of the Developing Eight (D-8) and encourages Bangladesh’s active participation in various agendas on halal economy, blue economy, digital transformation, and sustainable development.

The President of Bangladesh welcomed Indonesia’s commitment and expressed support for strengthening bilateral cooperation in various fields, including the economy, defense, counterterrorism, as well as connectivity and people-to-people relations.

Currently, the number of Indonesian citizens in Bangladesh is around 555, most of whom are housewives married to local citizens. The Indonesian Embassy in Dhaka provides consular services and other public services for Indonesian citizens and Bangladeshi citizens wishing to visit Indonesia.