Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi on Thursday urged the United States to invest more in Bangladesh while the country could import more from the South Asian nation.

Munshi said Bangladesh has a strong trade relation with the US and there is scope to expand the bilateral bonding to a greater extent.

Munshi made the remarks in a bilateral meeting with a US team led by Arun Venkataraman, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Global Markets and Director-general of the US Foreign Commercial Service, at the Pan-pacific Sonargaon Hotel.

He said that American investors could benefit enormously by investing at special economic zones Bangladesh is readying. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has asked the authorities to set up 100 special economic zones across the country to woo foreign investment.

The commerce minister said Bangladesh is giving special incentives to the foreign investors.

“Bangladesh gives special importance to the US investment. Safety has been ensured for the investors. Bangladesh is emphasising on the skill development in digital commerce,” he said.

Read: Time to invest in Bangladesh, Tipu Munshi tells Nordic countries

While the US is a major market of Bangladeshi garment products the country can be a good destination of Bangladeshi furniture and pharmaceutical products, he said.

Bangladesh needs support from the US in other sectors such as agro-food processing, technology and ICT, the minister said.

Arun Venkataraman said Bangladesh is a vital trade partner of the US. He appreciated Bangladesh’s development, saying that the US will continue to strengthen its relations with the country in the fields of investment, trade and technology.