Dhaka: Canada’s Indo-Pacific Trade delegation, led by chief Paul Thoppil, met with Commerce Adviser Sk. Basher Uddin at his office at Bangladesh Secretariat today. During the meeting, discussions were held on enhancing bilateral trade, investment, and cooperation between the two nations.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Commerce Adviser Basher highlighted the importance of identifying opportunities for boosting trade and investment between Bangladesh and Canada, suggesting that a mutually beneficial arrangement would serve both countries well. He encouraged Canada to increase its investment in Bangladesh, noting the significant demand for renewable energy in the country and the allocation of land for industrial purposes at Mirsharai Economic Zone in Chattogram.
The Commerce Adviser expressed that Canadian businesses stand to gain from investing in Bangladesh, which would also benefit the local economy. A Commerce Ministry press release further elaborated on these points.
Paul Thoppil, leading the Canadian delegation, recognized Bangladesh as a key trade partner and noted Canada’s role as a prominent buyer of Bangladeshi readymade garments. He emphasized the need to establish an effective joint working group to foster bilateral trade and work on an air service agreement.
The Canadian Indo-Pacific Trade representative expressed interest in investing in various sectors in Bangladesh, including international standard hotels to enhance tourism, as well as in ICT, agriculture, animal husbandry, renewable energy, airport modernization, and cargo village facilities.
The meeting was attended by notable figures including Canadian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Ajit Singh, Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman, Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Nasrin Jahan, and Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh Chairman Air Vice Marshal Md Monjur Kabir Bhuiyan.