State minister for commerce Ahsanul Islam Titu on Sunday said that initiatives to sign a free trade agreement between Bangladesh and Thailand were underway.
At an event jointly organised by the Bangladesh Thai Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Thai embassy in Dhaka at the Renaissance Hotel in the capital Dhaka, the state minister said that a direct connection between the Chattogram Port in Bangladesh and the Ranong Port in Thailand would facilitate easier trade between the two countries by reducing cargo travel time.
The event was organised in honour of Nalinee Taveesin, adviser to the prime minister of Thailand and Thailand trade representative, who is leading a delegation comprising 25 members from different business sectors in July 13-17.
During the visit, a business-to-business matchmaking was held where 120 business contracts were held between the Thai delegates and interested BTCCI members.
Ahsanul emphasised boosting relations with each other in order to nurture the economic diplomacy adopted in recent visit of prime minister Sheikh Hasina in Thailand.
The state minister for commerce called for signing the FTA between the two nations for greater business opportunity of the two countries, saying that Thailand was an advanced economy, and was recognised globally as a hub of the Asia-Pacific region due to its impressive creation, innovation and development of versatile products.
In B2B matchmaking, 45 Bangladeshi companies joined for business tie-up with the visiting Thai delegation, the BTCCI said.
At the launching of the programme, Nalinee Taveesin said that the Office of Prime Minister of Thailand would extend its all-out support and cooperation for the growing bilateral and mutual business interest between Bangladesh and Thailand through the BTCCI and the Thai embassy, Dhaka.
BTCCI president Shams Mahmud encouraged Thai companies to consider investing more in Bangladesh.
He also emphasised the importance of exploring strategic partnership and future investment opportunities.
Thai ambassador Makawadee Sumitmor, Bangladesh Economics Zones Authority executive chairman Md Sarwar Bari and former Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Abul Kasem Khan, among others, attended the programme.
