|| State Minister Meets Spanish State Secretary in MadridDiplomatic Correspondent: Bangladesh and Spain have agreed to deepen bilateral cooperation in trade, investment, culture, sports and skilled migration, as State Minister for Foreign Affairs Ms. Shama Obaed Islam, MP held a bilateral meeting with Mr. Diego Martínez Belío, State Secretary for Foreign and Global Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Spain in Madrid on 28 October 2026.At the outset of the meeting, State Minister Shama Obaed expressed heartfelt condolences over the tragic train accident in Toledo, Spain earlier this morning that caused significant loss of lives. She conveyed deep sympathies to the bereaved families and those affected by the accident.According to a press release issued from Dhaka, the meeting was held in a constructive atmosphere, focusing on enhancing cooperation and future engagement on areas of mutual interest between the two friendly countries.Both sides highlighted the need to enhance existing trade and investment opportunities. In this regard, they emphasized exploring new avenues for business-to-business exchanges, export diversification, and arrangement of trade expositions to boost bilateral trade.The State Minister underscored the potential for greater cooperation in cultural exchanges and stressed the early conclusion of the proposed Memorandum of Understanding on cultural cooperation. The two leaders also exchanged views on enhancing cooperation in sports diplomacy, creative economy, arts and tourism. Highlighting the Government's emphasis on promoting sports nationwide, Ms. Shama Obaed noted that sports could serve as an effective instrument of people-to-people engagement.Acknowledging the valuable contributions of the Bangladeshi community in Spain and their role as a bridge between the two countries, the State Minister underscored the importance of creating legal pathways for skilled migration. In this context, she encouraged Spain's participation in the EU Talent Partnerships initiative for Bangladeshi workers. She further reiterated Bangladesh's zero tolerance policy against human trafficking and migrant smuggling.The Spanish side reaffirmed its support for advancing engagement with Bangladesh across areas of mutual interest. Mr. Belío described the prospects for future engagement as promising and conveyed Spain's readiness to support these efforts.Both sides agreed to expedite the conclusion of agreed bilateral instruments and other ongoing negotiations and expressed eagerness to hold the 2nd Bangladesh-Spain Foreign Office Consultations at the earliest opportunity. They also underscored the importance of regular exchange of high-level visits to further advance cooperation.