Pakistan upbeat on stronger trade ties with BD

Pakistan’s Commerce Minister, Jam Kamal Khan, expressed optimism about strengthening trade relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan, overcoming previous challenges.

He emphasised that with the right measures and mutual cooperation, bilateral trade could see significant growth.

On Sunday afternoon, the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) hosted a discussion meeting at its office in the capital’s Motijheel with business leaders and the visiting minister.

The meeting focused on trade, industry, food, and investment cooperation between the two countries. FBCCI Administrator Md Hafizur Rahman chaired the session.

Speaking at the meeting, Jam Kamal Khan said, “Both Bangladesh and Pakistan are currently in a positive position to enhance relations. There is considerable interest among business communities. Opportunities exist in sectors such as tourism, culture, shipbuilding, construction, and ICT. Sector-specific delegations from Pakistan will visit Bangladesh in phases to identify promising sectors.”

Reflecting on his visit to Chattogram, he added, “Several Bangladeshi companies are engaged in shipbuilding, and Pakistan also imports ships. There are opportunities for joint collaboration. Additionally, we see potential for importing construction materials from Bangladesh.”

He also stressed the importance of trilateral trade, noting, “If Bangladesh and Pakistan work together, it could open access to large markets in Africa and Central Asia.”

Earlier, Md Hafizur Rahman said, “Although trade between Bangladesh and Pakistan has a deficit, economic relations are gradually strengthening through mutual cooperation. There are further opportunities in trade, investment, and technology. To unlock this potential, we must explore new avenues together—especially in public-private partnerships (PPP), bilateral FTAs, joint R&D, ICT, agro-food processing, MSMEs, startups, tourism, fintech, textiles, jute, light engineering, automobiles, and the digital economy.”

He added that FBCCI is ready to organise meetings and seminars to enhance business communication between entrepreneurs from both countries.

FBCCI Secretary General Md Alamgir emphasised the vital role of the private sector in Bangladesh’s economy, saying, “Steps must be taken now to strengthen people-to-people and business-level relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan. Delegation exchanges are essential to identify trade opportunities and boost import-export activities. We also call for visa facilitation between the two countries.”