Diplomatic Desk:
State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Shama Obed Islam, MP, said that the present government under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has been striving to widen and strengthen cooperation with potential but untapped regions of the world, including East European and CIS countries.
She made the remarks during a call on by the Board of Directors and office bearers of the Commonwealth Independent States-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CIS-BCCI) at her office on Tuesday (07 July 2026). The State Minister emphasized the importance of diversifying trade and promoting investment between Bangladesh and the CIS region.
She mentioned that countries in the region, including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Turkmenistan, could become important destinations for Bangladesh’s diverse export basket.
The State Minister stressed the need for exchanging business delegations to explore untapped potential in trade, economy, and investment. She also highlighted the importance of strengthening cooperation among the apex chambers of commerce and industries of CIS countries to enhance business-to-business relations.
She urged business leaders to fully utilize the available opportunities to expand mutually beneficial two-way trade and increase Bangladesh’s exports of pharmaceuticals, jute and jute products, leather and leather products, ceramics, shrimp, tropical fruits, and IT products to the CIS region.
During the meeting, issues related to organizing trade fairs and exhibitions for investment promotion, branding of Bangladeshi products, and challenges such as the absence of direct flights, lack of resident diplomatic missions in respective capitals, and difficulties in banking and financial transactions were also discussed.
The State Minister assured the business leaders of providing possible support to further strengthen Bangladesh’s trade and economic relations with the CIS and Central Asian countries.
