AmCham hosts luncheon on Bangladesh-US economic ties
The American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (AmCham) hosted a high-profile luncheon, 'Advancing US–Bangladesh Economic Partnership', at Sheraton Dhaka, reinforcing its commitment to bilateral trade and investment.
Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir attended as chief guest, with US Ambassador Brent T Christensen as special guest.
AmCham President Syed Ershad Ahmed presided over the event, joined by members of the AmCham Executive Committee.
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Attendees included senior representatives from the Ministry of Commerce, the diplomatic corps, regulatory authorities, business leaders, AmCham members, and other distinguished guests.
The event was supported by Colgate-Palmolive, Excelerate Energy, Omera LPG, Air Alliance Limited, UPS, Sabre Travels, and Beyond Innovations and Technologies Limited.
In his remarks, Syed Ershad Ahmed highlighted AmCham's role in strengthening Bangladesh–US trade relations and noted the significant growth in bilateral trade over the years.
He emphasised the need to sustain the partnership amid a changing global landscape and reaffirmed AmCham's commitment to responsible business practices and a conducive environment for trade and investment.
US Ambassador Brent T Christensen said the ART agreement preserves Bangladesh's access to the critical US market with a competitive 19% tariff, down from 35% without the agreement.
He added that the agreement includes changes to Bangladesh's tariffs and non-tariff barriers, aimed at encouraging imports from the United States and balancing bilateral trade.
The ambassador reaffirmed the United States' commitment to its partnership with Bangladesh, emphasising continued support for advancing trade, investment, and economic cooperation.
Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir stressed the need to strengthen economic ties through export diversification, expanded market access, and increased investment flows.
He said the government is prioritising sectors such as pharmaceuticals, leather goods, agricultural products, light engineering, and ICT to broaden the export base.
The minister also sought continued US support for Bangladesh's smooth graduation from least developed country (LDC) status.
He noted that Bangladesh has proposed extending the transition period and is targeting November 2029 for graduation.
The event also featured an interactive question-and-answer session with the commerce minister and US ambassador, who exchanged views with AmCham members and guests.
The discussion addressed key concerns and opportunities relevant to the business community.
