The Netherlands, which has a surplus of irrigation resources, has shown interest in assisting Bangladesh in updating its irrigation system. Foreign adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury had separate meetings with the Dutch foreign minister and development cooperation minister in Amsterdam. During the meeting with development cooperation minister Bert Koenders, Chowdhury emphasized the importance of directing Dutch assistance through the government rather than NGOs and multilateral agencies. They discussed potential areas of cooperation such as modern irrigation systems, livestock and dairy, food processing, and agro-business development. Additionally, Chowdhury met with his Dutch counterpart Maxime Verhagen during the visit. The foreign ministry stated that Bangladesh views the Netherlands as a reliable partner in development. Iftekhar encouraged the Dutch foreign minister to broaden their imports from Bangladesh beyond ready-made garments to include other manufacturing sectors like small and medium-sized ships. They also agreed to collaborate on shared issues such as climate change. Verhagen pledged his assistance for the electoral process and was briefed by the adviser on preparations for the Jatiya Sangsad polls. Iftekhar highlighted the importance of a European Union Observer Mission during the upcoming elections while discussing the current government's reform initiatives with the Dutch minister. Bangladesh Ambassador to the Netherlands Mizanur Rahman, director general of the foreign ministry M Zulfiqur Rahman, and the Dutch envoy to Bangladesh Bea Ten Touscher were also in attendance during the meetings.