Minister for Information M Shamsul Islam attended the ceremony at Sheraton Hotel as chief guest.

The SBBF is a non-profit voluntary organisation comprising individuals and companies from both the countries with the overall goal for promoting bilateral trade and investment.

President of the forum and also Managing Director of Novartis (Bangladesh) Ashfaque ur Rahman, Managing Director of New Asia Limited Abdul Matin Chowdhury and Carlo Cifiello, managing director of Nestle Bangladesh Limited, and Charge d'Affaires of Switzerland J Casserini spoke on the occasion.

The forum will provide a link with government departments, tourist offices, chambers of commerce and other trade or business organisations and work for economic cooperation between the two countries.