Published : 01 Oct 2026, 10:22 PM
Updated : 01 Oct 2026, 10:22 PM
Bangladesh has asked South Korea to expedite its decision on a proposed financing package for Dhaka’s metro rail projects.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir made the request during a meeting with a Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA) delegation led by Vice-President Doh Young-Ah in Seoul on Thursday.
He sought “early concurrence from the Korean side” on financing for MRT projects in Dhaka alongside the Asian Development Bank, according to a foreign ministry statement.
South Korea is expected to co-finance the southern section of Dhaka’s MRT Line-5, a project estimated to cost about $5 billion.
Although Seoul has pledged $1 billion, the financing has yet to be finalised, delaying progress on the project, officials of the road transport and bridges ministry have said.
Kobir also sought expanded cooperation in digital transformation, artificial intelligence and digital public services.
At the KOICA meeting, he thanked the agency for its longstanding support for Bangladesh through grants, capacity building, technical cooperation and knowledge sharing, including $39 million under the Saemaul Plus End Poverty Programme.
He sought further cooperation in water security, climate resilience, skills development, technical education and digital health, while proposing larger-scale and more transformative programmes.
Trade Imbalance
In a separate meeting with South Korean Deputy Minister for Trade Negotiations Hyejin Kwon, Kobir called for measures to increase Korean imports of Bangladeshi goods and services and reduce the trade imbalance.
He also sought streamlined food-safety and quarantine procedures for Bangladeshi agricultural, fishery and food products, support for Bangladesh’s RCEP accession, and greater Korean investment.
Kobir welcomed the Bangladesh-Korea CEPA concluded in August and said it could help Bangladesh integrate more deeply into Korean and regional supply chains.
