Defense Cooperation

Bangladesh’s defense cooperation with Singapore is characterized by exchange of visits, training

of officers and purchase of non-combat supplies for Bangladesh Armed Forces from Singapore.
Bangladesh armed forces also buy arms and equipment supply from Singaporean companies.
Bangladesh Armed Forces send their officers from different disciplines to Singapore to undergo
various short-term and long-term courses including training in National University Hospital,
Singapore. Military officers also attend regularly conferences and workshops in Singapore.
Bangladesh regularly offers training placements in the Command and Staff College and the
National Defence College (NDC) for Singapore defence personnel so offers different courses for
Bangladesh defence personnel on reciprocal basis.

Education and Training

Under Singapore Cooperation Training Program Awards (SCPTA), Singapore offers a number of
training facilities for Bangladeshi Civil Servants in the areas of capacity building and
governance. In the year 2012, Singapore Government offered about 40 training programs on
different subject matters including Environmental Management, Energy, Education, Air Safety,
Monetary Policy, and other technical issues. About 50 government officials from Bangladesh
attend the courses offered by the SCPTA. Apart from that under the DFID (UK) funded
“Managing at the Top (MATT)” program around 90 officers at the level of Sr. Assistant
Secretary to Joint Secretary of Bangladesh Government were trained at the Civil Service College
of Singapore.

During the visit of the Education Minister of Bangladesh to Singapore on October 2014 an MOU
was signed between the Nanyang Polytechnic International, Singapore and Directorate of
Technical Education of Bangladesh. Under the MOU, trainings are being provided for 22 groups
of 420 selected participants from Bangladesh’s Technical and vocational Institutions.

Although, there is no Agreement on exchange programs, many Bangladeshi students were

offered scholarships by the Universities and institutes of Singapore to do research and study
undergraduate and graduate courses. Bangladeshi students also go to Singapore under private
arrangements to study in various high schools and private educational institutes.
 Cooperation in Tourism

Singapore is one of the most important and most frequently-visiting destinations for Bangladeshi
tourists. However, Bangladesh is yet to be developed as a popular tourist destination for the
Singaporean tourists. As Singapore is one of the major developing partners of Bangladesh,
especially in the spheres of infrastructure development, cooperation may also be forged between
the countries in tourism field to develop tourism infrastructure in Bangladesh. The followings
may be considered to extend mutual cooperation in this field:

Technical Cooperation for Marketing and Promotional Activities Bangladesh

Singapore is one of the most important and most frequently-visiting destinations for Bangladeshi
tourists. However, Bangladesh is yet to be developed as a popular tourist destination for the
Singaporean tourists. As Singapore is one of the major developing partners of Bangladesh
especially in the spheres of infrastructure development, cooperation may also be forged between
the countries in tourism field. The Government of Singapore has promised to provide technical
and financial assistance to promote tourism products of Bangladesh in the overseas market
including Singapore. Singapore government was also requested to deploy its tourism experts to
Bangladesh for preparing action plan on tourism marketing.

Investment in Tourism sector of Bangladesh

Singapore is one of the leading investors in Bangladesh and its investment has witnessed
significant growth in recent years. Singapore has invested multi-million USD through Foreign
Direct Investment (FDI) track which makes it one of the top 10 investors in Bangladesh. The
Singaporean companies wants to invest in hotels and holiday resorts creation, and development
of tourism infrastructure etc. It is to be informed that the Industrial Policy and Tourism Policy of
the Government of Bangladesh have ensured various offers of incentives for foreign investors.

Development of tourism human resource for Bangladesh

Singapore demonstrates a spectacular instance in developing its own human resources.

Bangladesh will benefit from a scholarship program on tourism training facilities from
Singapore. The human resources in tourism sector of Bangladesh can be developed by way of
having training facilities from Singapore in the following disciplines:
 Destination Development Planning;
 Tourism Marketing;
 Tourism/Hotel Management;
Exchange of Familiarization Tours

Bangladesh and Singapore may agree to organize familiarization tours for tourism professionals
and travel writers of each country through mutual exchange program to share experiences and
promote tourism

Cooperation in Package and Conducted Tour Programs

The Government of Singapore was asked to encourage its public and private sector tour
organizers to include Bangladesh as a tourist destination. The unique natural beauty, exotic tribal
life, world's largest mangrove forest Sundarbans, World's longest unbroken sandy beach at Cox's
Bazar and archeological heritage specially century-old Buddhist relics (viz. largest Buddha statue
in Kuakata, 8th century-old Asia's largest Buddhist vihara at Paharpur in Naogaon, Mainamti
Shalban Bihar in Comilla) of Bangladesh would become a major source of attraction for
Singapore tourists.

Air Service Cooperation

An Air Services Agreement (ASA) between Bangladesh and Singapore was signed on 26 May
1979. Confidential Memorandum of Understanding (CMU) was signed on 30 May 1986, 19
January 1993, 12 December 2000 and 08 July 2008. The latest CMU was signed on 15
December 2010 between the two countries. In 2008, Bangladesh and Singapore signed two
Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) for collaboration over Public Private Partnership (PPP)
and air services.

Frequency & Capacity - As per CMU dated 15 December 2010, the designated airlines of the
contracting parties shall be allowed to operate up to 21 weekly passengers or combination
services with any aircraft type. The designated airlines of each contracting parties shall be
allowed to operate unlimited frequencies and capacities, and with any aircraft type for all cargo
services.
 Power and Energy Sector

Singapore is currently assisting the Power Sector development of Bangladesh with two projects
on electricity generation- (1) 700 MW Coal Based Power Plant in Matabari, Cox’s Bazar and (2)
Implementation of 400MW +10% Dual Fuel Combined Cycle Power Project.

An MOU has been signed on 15 April 2015 between IE Singapore and Coal Power Generation
Company Bangladesh Limited to implement the first project.

Government of Bangladesh has consented for implementation of the second project in Sirajganj
District. The proposal submitted by SembCorp Utilities Pte Ltd Singapore is now under process
in Power Division.

Employment of Bangladesh Workers in Singapore

Singapore is a favorite destination for many Bangladeshi workers. The main reason is that
working conditions are better in Singapore compared to most of the other countries. It is
estimated that there are about 150,000 Bangladeshi workers are working in different sectors of
Singapore. It is to be noted that there is no manpower agreement between Bangladesh and
Singapore. The Singapore government does not have such agreement with any other government.
The Ministry of Manpower (MOM) of Singapore, which deals basically with policy objectives,
has very little to do with direct recruitment of foreign workers of the country. The recruitment is
done directly by local private sector corporations, multi nationals and individual employers.
Construction industry in Singapore is a major employer of Bangladeshi workers. The ship
building and industries and their subsidiaries are traditionally other major employers of
Bangladeshi workers. Apart from the industrial workers, there are about 5000 Bangladeshi
professionals and talents who are employed in different universities, polytechnic institutes and
maritime industry in Singapore. In FY 2013-2014, Bangladeshi expatriates in Singapore remitted
US$ 429.11 million while from July 2014 to February 2015, the total remittance flow from
Singapore to Bangladesh stands at US $297.93 million. We urge the Government of Singapore
for further recruitment of skilled and semi-skilled workers from Bangladesh.
Bangladesh is also one of the approved source countries for Foreign Domestic Workers (house
maids) in Singapore. Although, the number of maids from Bangladesh is not very significant, the
trend is steadily growing.

Singapore is also a major source of remittance for Bangladesh. During the FY 2013-14
remittance from Singapore was US$ 429.11 million (3.02% of the total remittance inflow). One
notable trend of remittance from Singapore is that while percentage share of remittance from
other major sources like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, U.K and Italy have fallen over the last five years,
remittance from Singapore have in fact increased.

Figure 4: Country-wise share (%) of remittance

Figure 6: Flow of FDI from selected countries (US$ million)