Business Desk :
The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) has called upon UK businessmen to come forward for the development of trade, investment and economic relations between the UK and Bangladesh.
FBCCI President Md Jashim Uddin made the call at the Networking Business Meeting with the British Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BBCCI) held in London on Friday.
While leading the Bangladeshi Business Delegation at the meeting, FBCCI chief said that UK and Bangladesh have an excellent bond of friendship which is reflected in partnership and people to people links.
The Bangladeshi Diaspora in the UK is taking an active participation in trade and investment through business and economic collaboration, he said.
In the context of the new economic development perspective, there are huge opportunities and prospects for further enhancing the trade and investment cooperation between the two countries, Jashim Uddin said.
He also mentioned that though UK is an important export destination of Bangladesh, but still exports of the country to the UK is concentrated to a few items like knitwear, woven garments, frozen fish and textile items.
Bangladesh offers one of the world’s best competitive fiscal and non-fiscal incentives including profit repatriation, tax holiday and duty-free import of capital machinery, he added.
Mostofa Azad Chowdhury Babu, Senior Vice President of the apex trade body, mentioned that the FBCCI and the BBCCI may work together in a focused manner to promote Bangladesh’s branding and facilitate export diversification, which is a must in the post-LDC graduation period. He urged NRB’s to invest in Bangladesh.
MA Momen, Vice President of FBCCI, emphasised on strengthening of relationship between the two trade bodies for business and economic activities. The FBCCI as the apex trade body of Bangladesh is always open to facilitate any business interest in Bangladesh, he assured.
On the same day, the FBCCI president along with other members of the delegation had a business meeting with Richard Burge, CEO of London Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI). At the meeting, it was discussed that steps might be taken to sign an MoU between the FBCCI and LCCI under which both can undertake business promotion activities including regular exchange of delegations, business information exchange, joint research, trade fairs and networking events.
In earlier days of the visit as entourage of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh Business delegation led by the FBCCI president attended the Bangladesh Investment Summit 2021: Building Sustainable Growth Partnership organised by the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission in London on Thursday. Sheikh Hasina attended the programme as chief guest. The programme was followed by the signing ceremony of an MoU between the FBCCI and the HSBC for joint study on UK and Bangladesh markets to foster the bilateral trade and investment as the sideline program of the Bangladesh Investment Summit 2021: Building Sustainable Growth Partnership.
The FBCCI and UK Bangladesh Catalysts of Commerce and Industry (UKBCCI) renewed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on November 04, 2021 in London.
FBCCI President also met with Sir Hugo Swire, the Vice Chairman of Commonwealth Enterprise & Investment Council (CWEIC), where both parties discussed on mutual growth and closer cooperation between the business people of the commonwealth countries.
