Singapore Non-Resident High Commissioner to Bangladesh Derek Loh paid a courtesy call on Home Affairs Minister Salahuddin Ahmed at the ministry office in the Bangladesh Secretariat on Monday afternoon.
The commitment came during a meeting between Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed and Singapore’s Non-Resident High Commissioner Derek Loh at the Secretariat today, said a press release of the ministry.
The meeting focused on law enforcement cooperation, professional training and capacity building of Bangladesh Police, cybercrime prevention, countering transnational extremism, real-time information sharing, trade and investment expansion, and mutual legal assistance in criminal matters.
Salahuddin described Bangladesh-Singapore relations as close and multidimensional, saying the partnership is built on mutual trust, friendship and shared interests at regional and international levels.
Singapore is ready to provide technological and training support to enhance the professional capacity of Bangladesh’s law enforcement agencies, High Commissioner Derek Loh said.
He proposed sending a delegation of senior Bangladeshi police officers to Singapore for specialised training and experience-sharing programmes.
Loh also highlighted the Singapore Cooperation Programme, under which around 300 seminars, workshops and specialised training sessions are organised annually for developing countries, saying Bangladesh could benefit from the initiative.
Welcoming Singapore’s support, the home minister sought policy-level cooperation in Bangladesh’s ongoing police reform efforts.
He stressed the need for stronger bilateral collaboration to combat growing cyber threats, including online scams, phishing and other digital crimes, through regular exchange of technology and expertise.
Both sides also emphasised the importance of real-time information sharing to counter transnational terrorism and extremism. On legal cooperation, Salahuddin said Bangladesh sent a proposal to Singapore on 22 February 2024 on a Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters agreement.
He hoped the agreement could be signed soon after Singapore gives final approval.
The Singapore envoy praised Bangladesh’s emerging economic potential and expressed interest in expanding Singaporean investment in healthcare, education, power, housing and traffic management infrastructure.
Salahuddin invited Singaporean public and private investors to take advantage of Bangladesh’s business-friendly and investment-oriented policies and become stronger partners in the country’s economic growth.
