Int’l trade summit from Oct 26

A week-long international trade and investment summit will be organised from October 26 celebrating the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and 50 years of Bangladesh's independence.

The virtual "Bangladesh Trade & Investment Summit 2021" will be jointly hosted by the Ministry of Commerce and Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI).

The meeting will help showcase and take necessary measures in formulating new policies to grow into a developed economy, speakers told a press conference at the DCCI auditorium yesterday. 

Bangladesh has made remarkable progress, especially in electricity generation and infrastructure development, which is an added advantage to attracting foreign trade and investment, they said.

Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said the ministry was relentlessly working to get free and preferential trade agreements signed with countries that bear potential for delivering benefits.

The agreements will tackle challenges that will arise once Bangladesh makes the United Nations status graduation from a least developed to a developing country, he said.

"(The summit) will be a great platform to connect the traders and investors around the world," he said.

"Our exports are mainly dependent on RMG and it is high time for us to work on other potential sectors to expand our export market and diversify our products as well," said Munshi.

In a presentation, DCCI President Rizwan Rahman said the summit would highlight nine sectors underscoring critical enablers and avenues of the economy which demand massive investments.

They include infrastructure, IT and fintech, leather goods, pharmaceuticals, automotive and light engineering, plastic products, agro and food processing, jute and textiles and fast-moving consumer goods and retail business, he said.

"A total of 552 companies from 38 countries, along with Bangladesh, of five continents will participate in 450 business-to-business matchmaking sessions, which will help explore new business opportunities and attract FDI (foreign direct investment)," said Rahman.

"This virtual summit will showcase Bangladesh's preparedness during the Covid-19 pandemic to the investors and entrepreneurs," he added.         

"The export potential of our country will be highlighted through the summit, which will help to attract more investment and foreign trade," said Commerce Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh.

NKA Mobin, senior vice-president of the DCCI, and Monowar Hossain, vice-president, were present.