ISLAMABAD / DHAKA : Monitoring Desk
Pakistan and Bangladesh are strengthening trade and economic cooperation on preferential basis as the Federal Minister for Commerce, Jam Kamal Khan held several high level meetings with his Bangladeshi counterpart, senior government officials, and leading business representatives to explore new avenues of collaboration in trade and investment in Dhaka after his arrival in Bangladesh on a four-day official visit, scheduled from August 21 to 24, 2025.
Upon his arrival in Dhaka, he was warmly received by H.E. Mr. Sk. Bashir Uddin, Honorable Adviser for Commerce of Bangladesh, and H.E. Mr. Imran Haider, High Commissioner of Pakistan.
The Minister held productive discussions with Bangladesh’s Adviser for Industries, Mr. Adilur Rahman Khan to explore avenues for industrial cooperation between the two countries. Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Mr. Imran Haider was also present during the meeting.
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The Minister and the Adviser underscored the importance of leveraging their economic and industrial base to the mutual advantage of two countries to address issues of food security, value addition in food industry, and aligning industrial technology. Discussions focused on exchanging expertise across diverse sectors through mutual exchange of delegations and knowledge sharing.
The Minister for Commerce emphasized on Pakistan’s keen interest to be a part of Bangladesh’s evolving industrial landscape through collaboration, joint ventures and mutual investment. He emphasised the need for a shared vision to create a facilitative economic ecosystem for industrial growth.
Building on the positive growth in bi-lateral trade, he underscored the need to transform this relationship into a sustainable partnership. He focused on value-addition industries for revenue generation and socio-economic uplift and appreciated Bangladesh’s growth in sectors such as pharmaceuticals, textiles and Information Technology.
The Adviser for Industries highlighted Bangladesh’s progress in industrial development and acknowledged Bangladesh’s growing industrial requirements. The Adviser showed keen interest in knowledge sharing and industrial collaboration.
He identified leather, ship-building, sugar, agro-processing and SMEs as areas of possible collaboration. The meeting concluded with a mutual resolve to build on bi-lateral trade and industrial development through collaborative efforts.
Mr. Jam Kamal Khan, visited Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) and met Mr. Taskeen Ahmed, President and Board Members of DCCI to explore opportunities for strengthening trade and investment relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh.
The Minister appreciated DCCI’s collaboration with the Federation of Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Islamabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry in facilitating Business to Business networking. DCCI’s facilitation in information sharing with regard to exporters/importers data base was also commended.
The Minister encouraged the Chamber to participate in the upcoming 3rd International Food and Agricultural Exhibition (FoodAg) scheduled to be held in Karachi on 25–27 November 2025.
Potential sectors for collaboration including renewable energy, pharmaceuticals automotive parts, Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) and Information Technology, evolving landscape of fashion and related preferences of youth were also discussed.
The President briefed the Minister regarding DCCI, its history and the role it plays in facilitating business across borders. He shared various suggestions for enhancing bi-lateral trade between the two countries, including exchanges, of delegations, participation in exhibitions and knowledge sharing.
Noting that DCCI has always supported Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) for business opportunities he suggested to connect the SMEs of the two countries. Issues of tariff and non-tariff barriers and actions to improve logistics between the two countries also came up. The meeting concluded with the resolve to create conducive environment for bilateral trade.
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Pakistani Minister Jam Kamal Khan and Bangladesh’s Adviser for Commerce Mr. Sk. Bashir Uddin, held in depth discussions to advance economic cooperation, mutual investments and strengthen bilateral trade ties. The two countries are in the process of establishing a Joint Working Group on Trade to enhance the economic ties and foster greater cooperation in trade between the two countries.
Both sides agreed to re-activate the Joint Economic Commission (JEC) forum to work out a comprehensive strategy for promoting trade, investment and economic collaborations.
Last meeting of the JEC was held in 2005. It was also agreed to form a Joint Trade Commission, which would present a roadmap for building on the existing bi-lateral trade relations, set goals for future commercial ties and define steps to achieve those targets.
The Minister and Adviser discussed sectors including agricultural modernization, renewable energy, steel industry, green ship breaking, ship building, dates, minerals, construction aggregates, halal trade, sugar, leather, rice, dehydrated fruits and agro-processing.
It was noted that connectivity and logistics for trade should and improved and economised for cost cutting. Matter related to reduction of tariffs and duties and preferential access to certain Bangladeshi products to Pakistani market also came under discussion.
Both sides underscored that there was a vast untapped potential of bilateral trade and people of our two countries were all set to benefit from this those opportunities. The two Governments should build on the existing momentum and swiftly move for creating a more conducive environment.
The Minister for Commerce of Pakistan held a meeting with Bangladesh’s Adviser for Food, H.E. Mr. Ali Imam Majumdar, in Dhaka to discuss possible collaborations in food security.
Both sides expressed satisfaction at the MoU on Rice Trade between Trading Corporation of Pakistan and the Directorate General of Food, Bangladesh – in signed January 2025, under which Pakistan has successfully delivered 50,000 MT of rice .
It was agreed that the MoU will work as a gateway for regular exchanges of delegations on both Government to Government and Business to Business levels for enhancing trade of essential commodities.
The Minister also noted that the upcoming 3rd International Food and Agricultural Exhibition (FoodAg) which is being held in Karachi on 25–27 November 2025 provides an opportunity for Bangladeshi businesses and government officials to have an in-depth understanding of Pakistan’s agricultural landscape.
The Adviser and the Minister stressed the need to enhance the yield of crops by improving agricultural practices to meet the growing demands of food commodities in both countries.The meeting concluded with the commitment to build on present collaboration through multiple stakeholder engagement and joint efforts.
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