KARACHI: Bangladesh Deputy High Commissioner in Karachi S M Mahbubul Alam had an interactive meeting with the office-bearers of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI) at its Headquarters in Karachi.
Businesspersons of diverse business areas also participated at the meeting. The deputy high commissioner welcomed the delegation from FPCCI, which comprises with 35 members with the President of the Federation Atif Ikram Sheikh as the head of the delegation. Chairman, Proprietor, Partner, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Managing Director (MD), Executive Director (ED), and Directors of different companies in Pakistan are included in the FPCCI 35-member delegation to Bangladesh, which is expected to visit during January 10-15. Earlier a 21-member delegation from FPCCI visited Bangladesh in 2023 with its former President Irfan Iqbal Shiekh as the head of the delegation.
The FPCCI delegation is expected to meet dignitaries including Commerce Advisor of the interim government of Bangladesh, Federation and different Chambers in Bangladesh, Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) and other business leaders in different business sectors in Bangladesh. The FPCCI delegation is also expected to participate at the Dhaka International Trade (DIT) Fair, which is being held during January 2025 in Dhaka.
The deputy high commissioner briefed the delegation that the 29th edition of the Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) 2025 is being held in Dhaka during January. Bangladesh Commerce Ministry, in collaboration with the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) of Bangladesh, has organised the month-long fair, featuring around 400 pavilions and stalls. Many international companies of different countries, including Türkiye, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia have been participating in the fair in Dhaka.
Bangladesh diplomat mentioned that there is a diverse range of products on exhibition and promotion, such as textiles, electronics, furniture, jute goods, leather products, household items, jewellery, processed foods, handicrafts, and many more. The Dhaka trade fair also combines tradition and innovation, offering a vibrant marketplace and a platform for cultural exchange.
In addition to the exhibition, seminars on potential sectors and products are planned to enhance trade opportunities. Deputy High Commissioner further added that the fair is aimed to provide a platform for domestic and international businesses to network and explore collaboration, contributing to the nation’s export growth with the participating countries including Pakistan.
The FPCCI president commented that the in the age of globalisation the countries and regions in the world come closer and due to mutual interdependencies the scope for further cooperation is huge and Bangladesh and Pakistan could fully utilise their untapped potential of wider business.
FPCCI Senior Vice-President Saquib Fayaaz Magoon said that both the countries are eager to promote bilateral trade in near future. Pakistan Fruits and Vegetable Merchants, Exporters and Importers Association Patron-in-Chief said that there are huge potential of export of different items to Bangladesh such as kinno, onions, apple, dates, mango, grapes, fresh vegetables, other fruits, packed food items, fruit juices and spices. The chairman of Rice Exporters Association of Pakistan said that Bangladesh is a good market for export of rice from Pakistan.
The deputy HC of Bangladesh and FPCCI business leaders said that there are also many more items such as jute and jute products, leather and leather products, pharmaceutical products and raw materials, ready-made garments, fabrics, chemicals such as hydrogen peroxide, ceramics, home appliances, plastic goods, cosmetics, sport goods, jewellery, tea, jack-fruits, pine apples, beetle leaf, electronics, cars, industrial machinery, carpets, toys, bicycles, and so on may be on the trade baskets between the two countries.
The Bangladesh envoy outlined that Bangladesh has foreign investment-friendly policy. Bangladesh has been working to establish 100 specialised economic zones across the country, where foreign companies including those from Pakistan have their investments. He invited investors from Pakistan to explore investment opportunities in Bangladesh.
The Bangladesh deputy HC in Karachi assured the FPCCI and the businesspersons from Pakistan for all possible support and cooperation including prioritised visa processing.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
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