Relationship dossier
Bangladesh
Bhutan
Relationship assessment
Bangladesh and Bhutan maintain a longstanding, cooperative relationship with trade and development ties.
Bangladesh toward Bhutan
+45Bangladesh has pursued closer economic ties with Bhutan, including through the preferential trade agreement signed in 2020, which provides a framework for trade concessions and expanded bilateral commerce.
Bhutan toward Bangladesh
+40Bhutan recognized Bangladesh’s independence in 1971 and has pursued closer trade ties, including by signing the 2020 preferential trade agreement with Bangladesh.
Overall relationship
+45The relationship is shaped by early Bhutanese recognition of Bangladesh’s independence and subsequent bilateral efforts to expand trade and cooperation. The 2020 preferential trade agreement provides a concrete framework for economic engagement, alongside cooperation in development and regional connectivity.
How to read these scores
Scores are rough judgments, not objective measurements or current verification. Directional scores describe government policy and conduct, not public opinion. The overall score is an independent estimate, never an average.
- −100
- Extreme sustained hostility
- −50
- Substantially adversarial
- 0
- Mixed or neutral, supported by knowledge
- +50
- Substantially cooperative
- +100
- Exceptionally close sustained partnership
“Not assessed” means there is no recorded score. Pair existence makes no claim about diplomatic recognition or established relations.
Relationship context
Overview
Bangladesh and Bhutan have a long-standing cooperative relationship, including Bhutan’s early recognition of Bangladesh’s independence and bilateral trade arrangements. A preferential trade agreement signed in 2020 deepened economic cooperation. The relationship also includes cooperation in areas such as development and regional connectivity.
Key developments
Bhutan recognized Bangladesh’s independence, becoming the first country to do so.
Bangladesh and Bhutan signed a preferential trade agreement to expand bilateral trade.
Major uncertainties
- The implementation and economic effects of the preferential trade agreement are unclear.
- The scope and continuity of cooperation on development and regional connectivity are uncertain.