MoFA to support ‘Bangladesh trade and investment summit’

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs will extend its support to successfully host the week-long “Bangladesh Trade and Investment Summit” that is scheduled to begin from 26 October. The summit will continue until 1 November jointly organised by the Ministry of Commerce and Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI), said a press release.

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Dr AK Abdul Momen, assured his fullest cooperation to President of DCCI, Rizwan Rahman in this regard in a meeting held on Sunday at the ministry. To celebrate the birth centenary of the Father of the Nation, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the golden jubilee of independence of Bangladesh, the Commerce Ministry and DCCI will jointly organise the 7-day international virtual summit titled “Bangladesh Trade & Investment Summit”. Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina, will inaugurate the summit as the chief guest. The theme of the Summit will be ‘Connecting the Economy of Tomorrow’ coincides the spirit of 1971 where the number 1 stands for a single host nation, 9 stands for nine sectors, 7 stands for seven days and 1 stands for a summit.

The objective of the summit will be to promote Bangladesh as an attractive trading and FDI destination to global businesses, to extend global integration on trade and investment into new global reality and to secure investment in diverse priority and emerging industries for mutual benefits.

The summit will discuss 9 sectors underscoring critical enablers and avenues of the economy, demanding massive investments especially in Infrastructure (physical, logistics and Energy), IT/ITES & FINTECH, Leather Goods, Pharmaceuticals, Automotive & Light Engineering, Plastic Products, Agro & Food Processing, Jute & Textiles, FMCG and Retail Businesses.

Hundreds of entrepreneurs from more than 50 countries of the 5 regions including America, Europe, Middle East and West Asia, Asia and Pacific and Africa are expected to join for day long Business to Business (B2B) match making session in all 7 days. Moreover, followed by the inauguration there will be a series of sector specific webinars where dignitaries, ministers, high government officials, researchers, think tanks, economists, policy makers and academicians both from home and abroad will also join. More than 160+ B2B are expected to hold with the participation of 320+ business entrepreneurs.

Foreign Minister, Dr AK Abdul Momen appreciated the endeavour of MoC and DCCI and said that it will be a very timely initiative to attract the readiness of Bangladesh to lure foreign investments. Despite the pandemic Bangladesh poised to keep a positive economic growth, he said. He also said that not only the foreign investors but also the Bangladeshi diaspora living abroad have keen interest to invest to their motherland. The environment for doing business in Bangladesh is now more congenial than ever so he requested the business community to utilize this branding to attract foreign investments.DCCI President, Rizwan Rahman in this meeting said that despite the Covid crunch Bangladesh has registered remarkable 5.47% GDP growth in FY2021.

(AA)