French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius confirmed the visit during a bilateral meeting with Bangladesh counterpart Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali. Ali returned to Dhaka on Thursday after completing his four-day official visit to Paris. The foreign ministry announced that, at Ali's request, Fabius agreed to bring a high-level business delegation with him, including representatives from MEDEF, a prominent French chamber of commerce. Fabius and his German counterpart will also jointly inaugurate a Franco-German embassy building in Dhaka. Fabius praised Bangladesh for its achievements in poverty reduction, women's education and empowerment, and the decrease in child and maternal mortality rates under the current government. The foreign ministry stated that their meeting centered on enhancing bilateral relations, particularly in terms of economic cooperation. They talked about boosting bilateral trade, increasing French investment in Bangladesh, and accelerating cultural exchange programs between the two countries. Various bilateral and international issues were also discussed, including their dedication to fighting climate change, which has a significant impact on Bangladesh. Fabius assured that France would take Bangladesh's concerns into consideration at the upcoming climate change conference in Paris, recognizing Bangladesh as one of the most vulnerable countries to climate change. He also expressed interest in collaborating with Bangladesh to combat terrorism and extremism in order to promote global peace. Ali told him about Bangladesh's efforts to improve connectivity and cooperation in the region through various initiatives such as the BBIN-MVA, the BCIM economic corridor, and the BIMSTEC. Fabius praised Bangladesh's initiatives for promoting regional cooperation and peace, and offered full support. During his visit to Paris, the foreign minister also visited the Bangla section of INALCO, a language and cultural research institute, where he gifted them some Bangla books. He also participated in the award ceremony 'Chevalier des arts et des letters' where the renowned Bangladeshi artist Shahabuddin Ahmad was recognized by the French government. Ali also attended a reception held by Bangladeshi expatriates and engaged in discussions with the Bangladeshi community, as reported by the foreign ministry.