State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam hosted a luncheon in honour of the delegation of the U.S.-Bangladesh Business Council (USBBC) and exchanged views on strengthening Bangladesh-US economic and commercial relations.

She underscored the importance of continued engagement between Bangladesh and the US business community. 

Members of the delegation and Bangladeshi business leaders exchanged views and shared experiences on opportunities and challenges relating to trade, investment, and business operations in Bangladesh.

The discussions covered a range of areas, including energy, technology, digital economy, healthcare, agriculture, and financial services, reflecting the broad scope of Bangladesh-US economic engagement.

The event, held at a city hotel, provided a platform for business leaders from both countries to interact and explore potential partnerships.

The luncheon was attended by Ambassador (Retd.) Atul Keshap, President of the U.S.-Bangladesh Business Council and Senior Vice President for South Asia at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and Oliver Simpson, Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of Excelerate Energy, along with the USBBC delegation, senior government officials and prominent business leaders from Bangladesh.

The 45-member USBBC delegation, representing 25 leading U.S. companies across energy, technology, financial services, healthcare, and agriculture concluded their three-day visit on Thursday after exploring avenues for deepening bilateral trade and investment cooperation.

Leading American companies across energy, technology, agriculture, and finance explored opportunities.

Peter Haas, Strategic Advisor to Excelerate Energy, and Ambassador (retd.) Atul Keshap delivered the concluding remarks and vote of thanks, expressing appreciation for the warm hospitality and the opportunity for meaningful engagement with Bangladeshi stakeholders.

The luncheon reaffirmed the shared interest in further strengthening Bangladesh–U.S. economic and commercial relations and promoting greater trade and investment cooperation between the two countries.

Earlier, the delegation held a two-hour-long meeting with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. 

Key ministers, including Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman, Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam, PM's Adviser for Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir and relevant Advisers to the Prime Minister were present, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. 

The meeting provided an opportunity for in-depth discussions on strengthening Bangladesh–U.S. trade and investment relations and exploring new avenues of economic cooperation.