Bangladesh and South Korea have agreed to form a government-private sector working group to identify new trade and investment opportunities following the conclusion of negotiations on the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
The proposed working group will identify priority reforms, facilitate investment and strengthen business engagement, including through public-private partnerships (PPPs).
The decision was taken at a bilateral meeting between Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and South Korean Trade Minister Jung-sung Park in Seoul on November 2, according to a press release issued by the Economic Relations Division (ERD) on Tuesday.
The initiative aims to take bilateral economic relations beyond the traditional textile and garment-based partnership towards technology-driven industries, advanced manufacturing and infrastructure development.
Amir Khosru said the conclusion of CEPA negotiations had created an opportunity to build a broader and more dynamic economic relationship.
He identified electronics and semiconductors, shipbuilding, maritime industries, renewable energy, artificial intelligence, digital and creative industries as promising areas of cooperation.
Energy, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, agro-processing, logistics and infrastructure were also highlighted as potential investment sectors.
The minister briefed the Korean side on Bangladesh’s efforts to improve the investment climate, including digitalisation of capital repatriation, reducing customs duties on raw materials for electronics from 26 per cent to zero and streamlining customs and port procedures.
He also encouraged Korean investors to explore government-to-government and PPP arrangements for strategic infrastructure and energy projects.
South Korean Trade Minister Jung-sung Park reaffirmed his country’s commitment to its longstanding partnership with Bangladesh. He also raised issues concerning Korean businesses operating in Bangladesh and agreed to share a consolidated list of their concerns for consideration and follow-up by the Bangladesh government.
Korean companies explore investment opportunities
During the visit, the Bangladesh delegation held separate meetings with three major South Korean companies—Hyundai Glovis, Hanwha Ocean and Samsung Electronics—to explore investment and technology partnerships.
At Hyundai Glovis, discussions focused on logistics, port development and the automotive sector. The Bangladesh side highlighted opportunities in logistics hubs, ports, economic and free trade zones, automotive supply chains and smart logistics.
Hyundai Glovis expressed interest in exploring investment opportunities, and both sides agreed to form working-level teams to advance potential cooperation.
At Hanwha Ocean, discussions covered shipbuilding, ship repair, dry-docking, maritime infrastructure and floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) projects.
The company proposed a phased approach, beginning with ship repair, maintenance and retrofitting before moving towards higher-value shipbuilding and other maritime activities. Further technical discussions and follow-up visits were also agreed upon.
The delegation also met Samsung Electronics President Kim Woo-june and senior officials to discuss cooperation in electronics manufacturing, artificial intelligence, digital connectivity and workforce development.
Amir Khosru encouraged Samsung to consider expanding its operations and introducing advanced technology solutions in Bangladesh. Kim expressed the company’s interest in exploring greater cooperation.
Adviser to the Prime Minister on Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Rehan Asif Asad, Prime Minister’s Special Assistant for Investment and Capital Market Affairs Tanvir Shahriar Ghani, ERD Secretary Md Shahriar Kader Siddiky and senior officials of ERD and Invest Bangladesh were present during the bilateral meeting.
Amir Khosru said Bangladesh wanted to work closely with the Korean government and businesses to translate the post-CEPA opportunities into tangible economic outcomes, with a focus on investment, technology transfer, industrial diversification and quality employment.
The latest initiative reflects Bangladesh’s efforts to attract higher-value Korean investment and strengthen its integration into global value chains.