Singapore’s designated Chargé d’Affaires Philip Ong has expressed interest in taking Bangladesh-Singapore relations, built over five decades, into new areas of cooperation. He said he looked forward to working with Bangladesh to explore new areas of bilateral cooperation while further strengthening the strong people-to-people ties between the two countries.

He expressed the expectation at a reception in Dhaka on Monday, marking Singapore’s 61st National Day.

Philip Ong said 2027 would mark the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and Singapore. Singapore will also assume the chairmanship of ASEAN that year. During this period, he said, he wants to work with Bangladesh’s friends to further strengthen the strong people-to-people ties built over the past five decades and explore new areas of cooperation between the two countries.

Referring to the event as one of his first official engagements since taking up his new assignment in Dhaka, Philip Ong said he was pleased to have the opportunity to serve in Bangladesh. He previously served in Kuala Lumpur, Beijing, Shanghai and Taipei.

He said he still had much to learn about Bangladesh and looked forward to meeting and getting to know people from different walks of life in the country in the coming months.

Philip Ong also outlined his government’s guidance on the future of bilateral relations. He said his main objective during his tenure would be to deepen Singapore’s relations with Bangladesh and expand them more diversely and dynamically.

He said he would build on the foundation laid by his predecessor in Dhaka, Mitchell Lee, over the past two years to strengthen Singapore’s engagement with Bangladesh and foster friendly ties between the peoples of the two countries.

Philip Ong’s remarks also highlighted that Bangladesh-Singapore relations are not limited to government-to-government contacts; Singapore views people-to-people ties as one of the key foundations of bilateral cooperation in the years ahead.

The cultural ties between the two countries were also highlighted at the Singapore National Day event. The food stalls featured jute roofs as a symbol of Bangladesh’s rich jute heritage. Tiles inspired by Peranakan culture were also used to represent Singapore’s multicultural heritage.