B Mirror Report: Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir today called for increased British investment in Bangladesh, particularly in the tea, fertilizer and information and communication technology (ICT) sectors.
The appeal was made when British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Sarah Cooke paid a courtesy call on the minister at his office at the Bangladesh Secretariat in the capital.
According to a Commerce Ministry press release, both sides underscored the importance of deepening existing trade relations and discussed new avenues for expanding bilateral investment.
The minister stated that Bangladesh is eager to collaborate closely with the United Kingdom to ensure shared benefits through sustainable and effective economic cooperation.
Highlighting the potential of the tea industry, particularly in Sylhet, Muktadir stressed the need for British capital to modernize tea gardens and enhance production capacity. Referring to the UK’s historical engagement in Bangladesh’s tea sector, he noted that renewed investment would create jobs and contribute to the growth of tourism in the region.
He also pointed out that local fertilizer factories are unable to operate throughout the year due to gas shortages. To address this challenge, he emphasized the importance of foreign investment to facilitate year-round production using LPG. In this context, he invited British entrepreneurs to invest in fertilizer manufacturing as well as in Bangladesh’s fast-expanding ICT sector.
High Commissioner Cooke reaffirmed her commitment to strengthening the longstanding trade partnership between the two nations. She also expressed interest in supporting capacity-building initiatives for officials involved in the Ministry of Commerce’s Trade Negotiation Pool.
The UK envoy showed particular enthusiasm for investment opportunities in Sylhet’s tea estates, seafood, leather processing, export diversification and light engineering industries, noting that British investors are keen to explore these promising sectors.
State Minister for Commerce Md. Shariful Alam, Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman and Additional Secretary (Export) Md. Abdur Rahim Khan were also present at the meeting.
