Bangladesh was recognized by France as a sovereign state on 14th February 1972. On 17th March 1972, Bangladesh opened its resident Diplomatic Mission in Paris. Since the visit of French President François Mitterrand to Bangladesh in 1990, the bilateral relations between the two countries have remained very cordial. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina paid an official visit to Paris in 1999. Throughout the last decades, the two countries have exchanged many visits at high political levels to maintain close relationship.

France is the fourth largest export destination for Bangladesh. Readymade garments alone account for around 90% of our export earnings from France. Export of other products such as leather and footwear, shrimps and frozen fish, ceramic and pharmaceutical articles are also increasing in recent years. French exports to Bangladesh include spare parts for aircraft and vessels, alcoholic beverages, chemicals, food stuff etc.

The most notable French investment is the Lafarge-Surma cement factory (253 million USD) in Chhatak with a capacity of 1.2 million tons per year. Total has investment in an LPG factory in Chittagong. Other companies such as Aventis, ADEX, Adhipress, Danone, Vieola etc. have made smaller investments.