Bangladeshi traders and importers see great potential in importing dates, oranges and other fruits and agricultural products from Pakistan to meet the demand throughout the year, including during Ramadan. They also believe that there is a potential for exporting various Bangladeshi products to Pakistan. For this, traders from both countries have called for the removal of customs and non-customs barriers between the two countries.
These issues came up at a meeting held between the FBCCI and a business delegation from Pakistan in Gulshan, the capital, on Wednesday (January 22, 2025).
The meeting was presided over by FBCCI Administrator Md. Hafizur Rahman. In his welcome address, he said that there is a huge demand for dates in Bangladesh during the month of Ramadan. Along with this, the demand for other fruits also increases during this time. Besides, there is a lot of demand for domestic and foreign fruits in the local market throughout the year. Pakistan can be an affordable and easily available source of fruits and agricultural products for Bangladesh, said the FBCCI Administrator.
Stressing on the growth of bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Pakistan, Md. Hafizur Rahman said that there is an opportunity to expand trade between the two countries through joint initiatives and mutual cooperation in the private sector. He also emphasized the importance of concluding a Bangladesh-Pakistan trade agreement.
Businessmen from both countries emphasized the development of logistics, supply chain, cold storage, packaging and goods transportation systems to facilitate and expand trade between Bangladesh and Pakistan.
The meeting was attended by Mr. Zain Aziz, Trade and Investment Attaché of the Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka, Md. Zafar Iqbal, NDC, Head of the International Affairs Department of FBCCI, FBCCI leaders, members of the Pakistani business delegation, leaders of the Bangladesh Fresh Fruits Importers Association and others.
