A delegation from the British Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BBCCI) met Road Transport and Bridges, Railways and Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam in London on Sunday to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral trade, investment, transport connectivity and broader economic cooperation between Bangladesh and the United Kingdom.
The BBCCI delegation was led by its newly elected Director General, Musleh Ahmed, and included members of the Chamber's newly elected Executive Committee and senior directors.
BGMEA urges BBCCI to promote more trade between Bangladesh, UK
Among those present were former BBCCI presidents Matab Chowdhury and Syedur Rahman Ranu, directors Shafiqul Islam and Golam Kibria Wes, and Gordon Dickie, chairman of IM Power PLC, a British company interested in investing in Bangladesh's railway sector.
The meeting provided an opportunity to further strengthen cooperation between the Bangladesh government and the Bangladeshi business community in the UK.
The two sides discussed a range of issues relating to bilateral trade, investment, transport, connectivity and broader economic cooperation.
During the meeting, the BBCCI delegation reaffirmed the Chamber's commitment to supporting Bangladesh's sustainable economic development.
It also stressed the need to further strengthen UK-Bangladesh trade and investment relations, attract more foreign direct investment (FDI), develop transport and communications infrastructure, expand digital connectivity and increase the participation of the UK-based Bangladeshi business community in the country's development.
The delegation highlighted the significant contribution of British Bangladeshi entrepreneurs to the economies of both countries and expressed its willingness to work closely with the ministry and relevant government agencies to boost investment, expand business cooperation and promote sustainable economic growth.
Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam welcomed the delegation and praised BBCCI's longstanding role in promoting trade and investment between Bangladesh and the UK.
He thanked the Bangladeshi business community in the UK for its continued support and reaffirmed the government's commitment to infrastructure development, modernising the country's transport and communication systems, and creating a more investment-friendly environment.
Following the meeting, BBCCI Director General Musleh Ahmed said: "The British Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry has always served as an effective bridge between the UK and Bangladesh. We sincerely thank the minister for his valuable time and constructive discussions. We look forward to working closely with the Government of Bangladesh to open new avenues for trade, investment, innovation and business cooperation for the mutual benefit of both countries."
Both sides agreed to maintain regular dialogue and deepen cooperation to advance the shared economic interests of Bangladesh and the UK through a stronger partnership between the government, BBCCI and the wider business community.
They also reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the longstanding friendly relations between the two countries.