A high-level business dialogue between the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) and the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce was held in Colombo to explore ways to enhance bilateral trade and investment between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.
Speaking at the event on Tuesday, DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed emphasized the untapped trade potential between the two SAARC nations and urged the swift signing of a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA).
He encouraged Sri Lankan businesses to invest in Bangladesh’s logistics, healthcare, tourism, construction, and IT sectors, while inviting imports of Bangladeshi pharmaceuticals, RMG, footwear, and electronics, according to a release.
Ceylon Chamber Chairman Duminda Hulangamuwa praised Bangladesh’s resilient private sector and called for deeper cooperation between the two business communities. He encouraged Bangladeshi investment in Sri Lanka’s logistics and tourism sectors.
Sri Lanka’s Minister for Industry and Entrepreneurship Development, Sunil Handunneththi, called the forum timely, stressing the need for regional cooperation, investment in startups and SMEs, and strengthened chamber-to-chamber ties. He noted Bangladesh and Sri Lanka share promising prospects in textiles, pharmaceuticals, shipbuilding, and digital services.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Andalib Elias and his Sri Lankan counterpart Dharmapala Weerakkody also spoke at the event, along with Dr. Asanka Ratnayake, President of the Sri Lanka-Bangladesh Business Council.
Former DCCI President Rizwan Rahman presented a keynote highlighting Bangladesh’s Special Economic Zones and young skilled workforce as major draws for foreign investors.
Over 200 B2B meetings were held during the event, with participation from 90 Sri Lankan companies. Both sides exchanged business ideas and explored future trade opportunities.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the two chambers to deepen private sector cooperation. DCCI’s delegation, led by President Taskeen Ahmed, later met Sri Lanka’s Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs and Foreign Employment Arun Hemachandra.
DCCI Senior Vice President Razeev H. Chowdhury, Vice President Md. Salem Sulaiman, and other delegation members also attended.