Trade Advisor Sheikh Bashiruddin held a meeting with Pakistan Prime Minister’s Trade Coordinator Ehsan Afzal Khan. The meeting was held at the Trade Advisor’s office in the Secretariat on Thursday (September 25) morning.
In the meeting, both sides expressed their commitment to find ways to increase the volume of bilateral trade and investment between the two countries, further accelerate economic cooperation and take trade relations to a new level.
Trade Advisor Sheikh Bashiruddin said, “Our country depends on the import of the main raw materials of the cement sector. Especially limestone and stone usable in construction. We need 50 million tons of stone annually. For this import, it is necessary to increase the engagement between businessmen of the two countries.”
He said, there is an opportunity to enlarge the limited trade basket of the two countries by ensuring labor productivity, utility proportion, logistic excellence, cost to finance and market access. Through this, the trade deficit of the two countries will be reduced and people-to-people relations will be improved. At the same time, he emphasized on creating more opportunities for Bangladeshi exporters in the Pakistani market.
Pakistan Prime Minister’s Trade Coordinator Ehsan Afzal Khan emphasized on removing the limitations of bilateral trade and increasing commercial facilities. He said, we want to significantly increase the volume of trade by increasing direct contact between businessmen of the two countries, exchanging trade missions and reducing tariff and non-tariff barriers.
Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Mahbubur Rahman and Additional Secretary (FTA) Ayesha Akhtar were present in the meeting.
