D-8 CCI Business Forum opens in Dhaka Tuesday

The ‘D-8 CCI (D-8 Chamber of Commerce & Industries) Business Forum and Expo 2022’ will be held on Jul 26-27 at the Sonargaon Hotel to commemorate the silver jubilee anniversary of the organisation.

The announcement was made at a press conference at the same hotel on Monday, reports bdnews24.com.

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, chairman of D-8 Ministerial, will be the chief guest at the event.

The organisation’s roadmap and its strategies will be discussed during the General Assembly on Day 1 of the event and presented to the Ministerial on Day 2.

After the event, it will be proposed to the trade and commerce ministries of the respective countries.

Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, Prime Minister's Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman F Rahman, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam and Secretary General of the D-8 Ambassador Isiaka Abdulqadir Imam will also be present at the event as guests of honour.

As a response to economic uncertainties and risks due to the Covid-19 pandemic and key global developments, the D-8 CCI is working on a strategic roadmap for PTA ratification and engagement in value chain integration across agriculture and manufacturing.

This year's event will look into the possibilities for value chain integration between Bangladesh and the D-8's other seven member countries: Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan, and Turkey, according to D-8 CCI President Sheikh Fazle Fahim.

"The global Covid-19 pandemic and recent global economic developments have afflicted us with inflationary pressures, supply chain disruption, and stagflation; thus, the time is ripe to explore value chain integration across the D-8 nations for trade, investment and economic sustainability," he said.

"On the 25th anniversary of the D-8, I express the hope that D-8 CCI Business Forum & Expo 2022 will create new possibilities to build trade relations and create new business opportunities amongst the D-8 member nations. Through this collaborative platform, we hope to open up pathways that enable the D-8 member nations to grow their respective economies in a collaborative manner."

The Developing-8 (D-8) is an economic bloc for development cooperation among Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey. The D-8 countries together compose a $5.0 trillion economy.