Italy is one of Bangladesh's major trading partners and home to over 200,000 Bangladeshis, second only to the UK. Despite having diplomatic ties for over 40 years, the two countries have never held a bilateral meeting. However, Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Vedova is scheduled to visit Bangladesh for such a meeting with Md Shahriar Alam. This visit is seen as a new beginning in the relationship between the two countries, which has been smooth and expanding. This effort to strengthen relations with friendly countries is also evident in Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's upcoming visit to New Zealand, and Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali's planned visit to Portugal. Usually, ministers from EU countries visit Bangladesh for development aid, but these bilateral meetings mark a new approach. A senior official at the foreign ministry, who requested anonymity, stated that the focus now is on conducting more bilateral talks, which have received a positive response. The official mentioned that a variety of bilateral issues will be discussed during the meeting. In the previous fiscal year, Bangladesh exported over $1.3 billion to Italy, an increase of 30 percent from the year before. Dhaka and Rome have similar perspectives on various global issues such as counterterrorism and climate change. The Prime Minister participated in the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) held in Italy in October last year. Her Italian counterpart has invited her to visit Italy again during the upcoming 'Expo Milano' from May 1 to October 31, which is expected to be the largest show in the world. The official also stated that the Italian counterpart has been invited by the Prime Minister as well, indicating that the relationship is advancing in a positive direction.