Speakers at a webinar on Wednesday underscored the need to foster more collaborative engagements in the thriving sectors, particularly ICT, pharmaceuticals and biotech, with an aim to further deepen and strengthen the existing partnership between Bangladesh and South Korea.

The virtual meeting was participated by the dignitaries and representatives of the government and other trade bodies of both Bangladesh and South Korea and took stock of the existing bilateral economic cooperation.

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Private Investment and Industry Salman F Rahman, who attended as the chief guest, reflected on the achievements and potentials of Bangladesh in the sectors and provided guidance, recommendations and future directions of engagements in promoting cooperation in Pharmaceutical, Bio Industry and the ICT sector.

The webinar titled ‘Bangladesh and ROK: Trade and Investment Opportunities’, was organized by the Embassy of Bangladesh in Seoul and moderated by Bangladesh Ambassador to South Korea Abida Islam

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It discussed and exchanged views on the existing trends of bilateral cooperation especially in pharmaceuticals, biotech, and the ICT sector, as well as charting future course of action in expanding cooperation in these thriving sectors.  

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Dr. Mostafa Abid Khan, former member, Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission, was the keynote speaker.

South Korean Ambassador to Bangladesh Lee Jang-keun highlighted the existing challenges in bilateral trade and investment and called upon the relevant businessmen and investors of both the countries to explore opportunities and tap potentials of the above sectors to further deepen the existing bilateral relationship.

The panelists of the webinar from Bangladesh side included Md. Sirazul Islam, Executive Chairman of Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), Paban Chowdhury, Executive Chairman of Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (BEZA), Sultana Afroz, Secretary & CEO, Public Private Partnership Authority (PPPA), Major General Md. Nazrul Islam, Executive Chairman, Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA), Bikarna Kumar Ghosh, Managing Director (Secretary) Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority, Partha Pratim Deb, Executive Director, Bangladesh Computer Council, Md Jashim Uddin, President, Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry(FBBCI) and Syed Almas Kabir, President of the Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS).  

Speakers from the Korean side were Hong Kwang Hee, President of the Korea Importers Association (KOIMA), Hakhee JO, Vice Chairman of the Korea International Trade Association (KITA) and Kihak Sung, Chairman of the Youngone Corporation.

The Bio and Pharmaceutical sectors of Bangladesh and the Republic of Korea were represented by Abdul Muktadir, Chairman, INCEPTA Pharmaceuticals Ltd. and Arif Dowla, Group Managing Director, ACI Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Professor Keeseon S. Eom, President of the International Parasite Resource Bank, JeyKey Lee, Director, GIG International Co. Ltd. and Choi Sun-hee, CAC Trading Co. Ltd.

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Representatives of the ICT related companies from both the countries like Mr. Lee Jangho, General Manager, Samsung S1 Corporation, Enayetur Rahman, CEO, ULKASEMI, M N Islam, CEO, TiCon System Ltd. also spoke during the webinar. Representative from the HSBC Bank's Dhaka branch, Shadab Hossain, also spoke.