Italy is a major trading partner of Bangladesh and has a significant Bangladeshi population. Despite having diplomatic ties for over 40 years, the two countries have never held a bilateral meeting. However, Italian foreign minister Vedova is scheduled to visit Bangladesh for such a meeting. This signifies a new beginning in their relationship, which is described as smooth, growing, and expanding. This visit is part of Bangladesh's efforts to strengthen relations with friendly countries, with other bilateral meetings planned with New Zealand and Portugal in the near future. "We are now primarily focused on engaging in more bilateral discussions, and we have been receiving a positive response," stated a senior official from the foreign ministry, who requested to remain anonymous, to bdnews24.com. The official mentioned that a wide range of bilateral issues would be addressed during the meeting. Bangladesh saw a significant increase in exports to Italy, totaling over $1.3 billion during the last fiscal year, which was a 30 percent rise from the previous year. Dhaka and Rome share similar perspectives on various international matters such as counter terrorism and climate change. The Prime Minister participated in the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) that took place in Italy in October last year. Her counterpart has extended an invitation for her to visit Italy again during the upcoming 'Expo Milano' event from May 1 to October 31, which is set to be the largest exhibition in the world. The official also mentioned that our Prime Minister has invited her Italian counterpart. It can be said that the relationship between the two countries is progressing positively.