Bilateral trade with Bangladesh poised for growth, says FPCCI

KARACHI: The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) is organising a multi-sectoral exporters’ delegation to Bangladesh to strengthen economic, commercial and trade ties between the two countries.

The delegation plans to meet Dr Muhammad Yunus, chief adviser to Bangladesh’s interim government, and Sheikh Bashir Uddin, commerce adviser to the interim government. FPCCI President Atif Ikram Sheikh said that the country’s business, industry and trade communities could achieve significant milestones through economic diplomacy, which often proves more effective than political diplomacy.

“In today’s interconnected world, forging economic interdependencies creates wealth and prosperity for nations and regions,” he added. The delegation will include over 35 businessmen representing diverse industries.

According to an official statement, Deputy High Commissioner of Bangladesh in Karachi Mahbubul Alam visited the Federation House to discuss and finalise the delegation’s agenda. He assured full support for expediting visa issuance and facilitating genuine Pakistani businessmen in trade promotion activities.

Sheikh highlighted the complementary nature of Pakistan and Bangladesh’s economies, which offers significant opportunities for industrial collaborations, joint ventures, technology transfers, business-to-business (B2B) partnerships, chamber-to-chamber engagements and collective trade promotion initiatives.

The deputy high commissioner pointed out that current bilateral trade between the two countries stands at approximately $800 million. He expressed confidence that this figure could be increased to $2-3 billion in the coming years by exploring untapped export potential and fostering collaboration.