The Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) of Bangladesh and the Agência para o Investimento e Comércio Externo of Portugal (AICEP) or the Trade and Investment Agency of Portugal have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on trade and investment cooperation online. The MoU, signed Thursday, will focus on strengthening economic relations between the two countries by promoting trade and industry as well as by bringing together business leaders from all sectors of the economy. At the ceremony held simultaneously at two institutions, EPB Vice-Chairman AHM Ahsan in Dhaka and AICEP Chairman and CEO Luís Castro Henriques in Lisbon signed the MoU. Through this MoU, the AICEP and EPB aim to collaborate on developing direct business relations between their respective business communities of the two nations. Also Read: Portugal church sex abuse study: victims may number 4,800 It will also promote the exchange of economic, trade and business information and entrepreneurial experience between the two organisations and help them undertake actions to support each other in the development of fairs and symposiums, conferences and other events aimed at expanding the bilateral trade and economic cooperation, said the Bangladesh Embassy in Lisbon on Friday. It is expected that both organisations will facilitate sending business missions between the two countries to examine the prospects for cooperation in industry and trade. Also Read: Bangladesh seeks Portugal's investment, expertise in blue economy, wind power generation Henriques hoped that both organisations of the two friendly countries would work closely for furthering business cooperation. "This is only the beginning. My institution is ready to explore areas of cooperation under this framework. There is a huge untapped business potential between the two countries on which the two countries can work," he added. Ahsan said this is the first cooperation MoU on business cooperation in the history of Bangladesh-Portugal bilateral relations. Also Read: EU’s EBA Scheme for LDCs: Portugal terms Bangladesh best success story He hoped that now business communities from both countries would get the opportunity to work closely which will "certainly in turn boost the bilateral trade and investment of the two nations." Ambassador Tarik Ahsan congratulated both the Export Promotion Bureau of Bangladesh and Agência para o Investimento e Comércio Externo de Portugal on this momentous decision to tie up for a partnership. Referring to the historic linkage between the countries, Bangladesh Ambassador to Portugal Tarik Ahsan said the people of Bangladesh and Portugal have been connected since the early 16 century. On the Lisbon side of the ceremony, Manuel António Gaeiras, director of external relations and foreign markets, Maria José Alvarenga, deputy director of external relations and foreign markets, Daniel Pontes, market manager of external relations and foreign markets, of AICEP and First Secretary of Bangladesh Embassy Alamgeer Hossain were also present.  On the Dhaka side, EPB Director General Mahbubur Rahman, Director General of the West Europe and EU wing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Kazi Russel Pervez, and others attended the signing ceremony.      

Barcelona announced Wednesday it has reached a deal to sign Leeds playmaker Raphinha and will also keep France forward Ousmane Dembélé at the club. The agreement to sign Brazil international Raphinha was pending the 25-year-old winger passing a medical. Leeds also confirmed it had reached an agreement in principle with Barcelona. Barcelona president Joan Laporta also said the club is keeping Dembélé, who is expected to have his contract extended until the end of 2024. Dembélé performed well this past season after refusing to leave on a loan. Read: Barcelona stuns Madrid 4-0 at Bernabéu to end losing streak Laporta did not answer questions on whether Barcelona was still trying to sign Robert Lewandowski from Bayern Munich. Laporta said recently that Barcelona had made an offer for the striker. The Catalan club has been recovering after enduring a dire financial situation prompted by the pandemic with past club officials also blamed for poor administration. Financial details of the Raphinha transfer were not immediately disclosed, but local media said Barcelona would pay nearly 60 million euros ($60 million) plus add-ons. Barcelona called Raphinha a player who is “excellent in one on ones, with taking on defenders a key part of his game.” It called him a “difference-maker.” Raphinha made his debut with Brazil's national team last year and is set to make the squad for the World Cup in Qatar later this year. Read: Barcelona edges Sevilla to move into 2nd in Spanish league Raphinha moved from Brazil to Europe early in his career, joining Portuguese club Vitória Guimarães before moving to Sporting Lisbon for 6.5 million euros in 2018. He went to Rennes for 21 million euros in 2019, then joined Leeds a year later and quickly became a key player in Marcelo Bielsa's squad. TRINCÃO TO SPORTING Barcelona said it sent Portuguese forward Francisco Trincão on a one-year loan deal to Sporting Lisbon. The deal includes an option for Sporting to keep the 22-year-old player. Trincão joined Barcelona from Braga in 2020 but struggled to make an impact, scoring three goals and earning two assists in 42 matches before being loaned to Wolverhampton last season.

Eastern Bank Limited (EBL) signed an agreement with private airline Novoair in Dhaka recently.  The private carrier will offer special discounts on its air tickets base fares for EBL cardholders. M Khorshed Anowar, deputy managing director and head of retail and SME banking of EBL, and Mes-Bah-Ul-Islam, head of marketing and sales of Novoair, signed an agreement in the capital. READ: Bank Job Circular: EBL is hiring manpower EBL Head of Liability and Wealth Management Syed Zulkar Nayen, Head of Student Banking and Retail Propositions Md Tanbeer Dawood; Novoair Senior Executive of Marketing and Sales Niladri Maharatna were also present, said a media statement. READ: EBL signs MoU with TradeWindfor

The Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) and Institute of Business Administration (IBA), University of Dhaka will work together for business-oriented research and innovation. A Memorandum of Cooperation (MoC) was signed between DCCI and IBA in this regard on Tuesday. DCCI President Rizwan Rahman and Director of IBA Prof Mohammad Abdul Momen signed the deed document on behalf of their respective sides. Rizwan said that as per the agreement, mutually agreed training courses will be arranged for DCCI. Both DCCI and IBA will conduct sector wise business research activities, job fair, seminars, workshop, and business conference. DCCI will provide internship opportunities for the students of IBA. Also read: Challenges of 4IR: DCCI, BUET ink MoC He said skill development is the priority area for the government as well as for the private sector because in order to compete with the global standard, we must have better skills in every sector. He called for extensive research and development works under the universities so that they can contribute to the development nation’s economy. Director of IBA, Prof. Momen said that there should have a greater collaboration between industry and academia. “To cope up with the changing global geo-political and technological transformation we have to be competitive in terms of skills and education,” he added. Also read: DCCI plans investment summit in Singapore this year He cited a few examples of some successful countries like USA, Germany, and Korea who are utilizing their universities for extensive wide ranging research and innovation activities. The research facilities of our universities in Bangladesh are still unexplored and under-utilized. He invited the private sector to invest for expansion of university research in the country for the sake of industry development, Prof Momen said.