State minister for commerce Ahsanul Islam Titu on Monday said that prime minister Sheikh Hasina鈥檚 emphasis on the importance of economic diplomacy had prompted the commerce ministry to actively enhance trade relations with different countries.
At the annual development programme meeting held at the commerce ministry in the capital Dhaka on the day, the state minister said that commercial counsellors had been given explicit instructions to diversify export markets, said a press release issued by the ministry.
鈥楥oncurrently, efforts are underway to bolster our capacity to expand global commercial ties,鈥� Ahsanul said.
Addressing the need to increase the ministry鈥檚 projects, the state minister said that the United Nations Development Programme, Australia and Japan had expressed interest in cooperating to enhance Bangladesh鈥檚 capacity in trade negotiations.
In addition, the World Bank has shown its interest in enhancing capabilities of the Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission, he said.
Commerce secretary Md Selim Uddin delivered a brief speech on the first day of the new 2024-25 financial year urging all to work together to implement the vision outlined by the state minister for commerce.
Commerce ministry planning cell joint secretary Shayla Yasmin, Trading Corporation of Bangladesh chairman Brigadier General Md Ariful Hasan, Bangladesh Tea Board chairman Ashraful Islam, heads of departments under the ministry and senior officials also attended the meeting.