Dhaka: The Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) has called upon New Zealand to widen its investment in Bangladesh, focusing on agriculture, renewable energy, and ICT sectors. This initiative aims to bolster bilateral trade and economic collaboration between the two nations.
According to United News of Bangladesh, the call to action emerged during a meeting in Dhaka between DCCI officials and New Zealand's Non-resident High Commissioner, David Pine, held at the DCCI Gulshan Center. DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed emphasized New Zealand's expertise in dairy, agriculture, and food safety, suggesting that the country could significantly aid Bangladesh through knowledge sharing in various agricultural domains, including dairy processing, livestock feed production, and fisheries.
Ahmed encouraged New Zealand's private sector to invest in Bangladesh's agriculture, food processing, consumer goods, and renewable energy sectors. He also urged New Zealand entrepreneurs to increase imports of Bangladeshi ready-made garments, leather goods, and ICT services to strengthen trade relations.
David Pine assured the Bangladesh business community that New Zealand would maintain duty-free and preferential market access for Bangladeshi goods, even after Bangladesh graduates from the least developed country status. Pine highlighted New Zealand's commitment to ensuring market access for Bangladeshi goods post-graduation and proposed exploring a Free Trade Agreement to further enhance trade and investment opportunities.
Pine stressed the importance of diversifying both export and import markets in the current global scenario and positioned New Zealand as a reliable partner known for its high standards in food safety and GMO-free products. He expressed interest in establishing a stable, long-term trade framework with Bangladesh.
DCCI Senior Vice President Razeev H. Chowdhury and Vice President Md. Salem Sulaiman also attended the meeting, underscoring the significance of this bilateral engagement.