The International Institute for Trade and Development (ITD) of Thailand and Bangladesh’s Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute (BFTI) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at enhancing cooperation in trade research, capacity building and development policy.

The agreement will facilitate joint studies, exchange of expertise and training programmes to support both nations’ trade agendas.

Under the terms, the two institutes will collaborate on research into market-access issues, value-chain development and trade facilitation, with a view to supporting Thailand’s outreach in South Asia and Bangladesh’s integration into Southeast Asian trade frameworks.

The MoU also foresees coordination on seminars and workshops that bring together government officials, business stakeholders and academics from both countries.

The signing ceremony took place in Bangkok, attended by senior officials from each institute and representatives of their respective commerce ministries.

The partnership comes at a time when Thailand and Bangladesh aim to expand bilateral trade beyond its current scale – as Thailand supports infrastructure and food-value-chain investment and Bangladesh positions itself for deeper engagement with regional frameworks.

Analysts note that the MoU strengthens Thailand’s role as a knowledge hub in the region and reinforces Bangladesh’s efforts to upgrade trade-policy capacity.

With bilateral trade already exceeding one billion US dollars and plans underway for a free-trade agreement between the two nations, the institutional link provides a supportive platform for future joint initiatives.