Bangladesh–Maldives relations

Maldives and Bangladesh established diplomatic relations on 22 September 1978. Maldives opened its High Commission in Bangladesh in 2008.[4] In 2011 Maldives government removed duty on all Bangladesh exports to the country.[5] On 2011 Bangladesh Army gave Maldives National Defence Force 7 military trucks.[6] Maldives closed its High Commission in Dhaka on March 2014 after the foreign ministry budget was slashed by 40 percent. Bangladesh offered to pay rent for embassy premises among other local costs but was refused "politely" by Maldives.[4] On December 2014 Bangladesh sent 100 thousand litre of water after Maldives sole water desalination plant stopped working after catching fire.[7] Maldives announced its intention to reopen the High Commission in Dhaka on July 2015.[8]

Maldives has a significant Bangladeshi migrant worker population and has encouraged the migration of Bangladeshi workers.[9][10] Bangladesh has a High Commission in Maldives.[11] Maldivian government regularized the immigration status of more than 16 thousand Bangladeshi migrants on 2009.[12] In 2011 Bangladesh exported goods worth 0.72 million USD and imported US$1.46 million from Maldives.[5] Official estimated suggest there are 70 to 80 thousand Bangladeshis in Maldives. On 30 March 2015 Bangladeshi expatriate community held a protest outside the Bangladesh embassy to protest against the death of two Bangladeshi expatriates. Maldivian government warned that the protesters risked losing their visas. Ahmed Tholal, the Vice President of Human Rights Commission in Maldives, called the government move unconstitutional.[13] Bangladesh also exports pharmaceutical medicine to Maldives.[14]