Italy has reaffirmed its full support for Bangladesh’s democratic transition and the July Charter, a reform agenda aimed at renewing the country’s democratic institutions, according to comments by an Italian deputy minister during a high-level meeting in Dhaka.
Italy’s Undersecretary for Defence, Matteo Perego di Cremnago, made the remarks during a courtesy call on Bangladesh’s Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus at the State Guest House Jamuna on Tuesday. The meeting covered a wide range of issues, including trade and defence cooperation, migration, the February 12 general elections and referendum, European Union election observation and the July Charter, according to a statement released by the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing on Wednesday.
Praising the July Charter, Perego said Italy supports the comprehensive reforms outlined in the document and views them as central to Bangladesh’s democratic renewal. He also reaffirmed Rome’s backing for the country’s ongoing democratic transition, particularly through the upcoming February 12 vote.
Describing the Indo-Pacific as the new centre of global economic and strategic gravity, Perego said Italy is seeking to strengthen ties with countries across the region. He highlighted Bangladesh’s growing economy and said Rome is keen to chart a shared path forward with Dhaka in the coming period.
The Italian deputy minister noted that the Bangladeshi community in Italy is integrating well into Italian society, while also raising concerns about irregular migration through the Mediterranean route.
In response, Muhammad Yunus recalled his long-standing connections with Italy and said that prior to assuming his current role as interim leader of Bangladesh, he had helped design the Milano–Cortina Winter Olympics as a social business-focused event. He stressed the importance of expanding legal migration opportunities to developed countries such as Italy and Japan, where ageing populations are creating labour shortages.
Yunus reaffirmed his commitment to holding a free, fair, transparent and festive election on February 12. He praised the European Union for deploying a large team of election observers to monitor the polls, saying their presence would help reinforce public confidence in the process.
He also expressed optimism about strong voter participation, particularly among young people who, he said, had been unable to vote in what he described as “fake elections” during 16 years of rule by a fascist autocratic regime.
During the meeting, Yunus sought Italy’s continued support for Bangladesh’s democratic transition, as well as closer cooperation in defence, trade and investment.
Bangladesh’s National Security Adviser Khalilur Rahman, SDG Coordinator Lamiya Morshed and Italy’s Ambassador to Bangladesh Antonio Alessandro were also present at the talks.
