Rabat: Bangladesh and Morocco have launched their first-ever bilateral business-to-business (B2B) platform in Rabat, aiming to boost trade, investment, and green industrial cooperation between South Asia and Africa. State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam formally inaugurated the platform during her two-day official visit to Morocco, describing the initiative as a new corridor for commerce, innovation, and sustainable growth, said a foreign ministry’s press release here today.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the platform is designed to catalyse high-value, innovation-driven, and people-centred partnerships that not only focus on trade but also on building industries, creating jobs, accelerating technology transfer, and driving sustainable growth on both sides. Highlighting Bangladesh’s strategic position between South and Southeast Asia, the state minister emphasized Bangladesh’s emergence as the world’s second-largest garment exporter, a pharmaceutical supplier to over 150 countries, and a growing hub for ICT, leather, ceramics, light engineering, and food processing industries.
Shama also conveyed Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s invitation to Moroccan businesses to consider Bangladesh as a key investment destination. Promotion of Bangladesh’s jute and jute-based products emerged as one of the key priorities of the newly launched platform. Shama stated that Bangladesh’s modernised jute industry, which produces biodegradable and carbon-absorbing products increasingly used in automotive and fashion industries, aligns closely with Morocco’s expanding industrial sector.
“As African countries increasingly move to restrict single-use plastics, demand for biodegradable alternatives made from jute is expected to rise significantly, positioning Bangladesh as a major supplier,” she added. An exhibition showcasing Bangladeshi jute products was also organised at the chamber premises and jointly inaugurated by the state minister and Hassan Sakhi, president of the Moroccan Chamber of Commerce.
The B2B event, organised by the Bangladesh Embassy in Rabat in collaboration with the Moroccan Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Services, brought together around 30 leading Moroccan business leaders and a seven-member Bangladeshi business delegation. Officials said a high-level Moroccan business delegation is expected to visit Bangladesh in November 2026 to explore economic zones, industrial hubs, and innovation centres, paving the way for future investment partnerships and joint ventures.
Bangladesh Ambassador to Morocco Sadia Faizunnesa also addressed the event. Among others present were Director General of the Department of Jute Syed Md. Nurul Basir, Director General (Africa) at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Abdur Rouf Mondol, and Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Industries Sahela Akter. Later, the state minister delivered a lecture titled “Bangladesh Foreign Policy: Focus on Africa” at the Moroccan Institute for Training, Research and Diplomatic Studies in Rabat. She highlighted the government’s “Bangladesh First” foreign policy, describing it as forward-looking, value-driven, and people-centric, aimed at protecting national interests while promoting constructive global engagement. The session was attended by diplomats, retired ambassadors, trainee diplomats, academics, and foreign policy experts.