Bangladesh seeks greater ASEAN imports to bridge trade gap: ICC president 

ICC Bangladesh President Mahbubur Rahman has urged the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) diplomats to increase imports from Bangladesh as a solution to the growing trade gap between the two regions. 

Speaking at a meeting on 20 March with ASEAN diplomats, Rahman highlighted the country's robust economic growth and its investment-friendly policies, as well as the vast potential within key sectors such as textiles, pharmaceuticals, information and communication technology (ICT), and energy.

Rahman emphasised that Bangladesh's exports to ASEAN are currently minimal, contributing to a significant trade imbalance. He called on the ASEAN diplomats to not only boost imports from Bangladesh but also to advocate for the inclusion of Bangladesh in ASEAN and facilitate the establishment of a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with these countries. 

The ICC Bangladesh President expressed gratitude to the diplomats for the opportunity to brief them on the global activities of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Paris and its local counterpart.

The meeting was attended by several distinguished diplomats, including Nguyen Manh Cuong, chair of the ASEAN Dhaka Committee and Ambassador of Vietnam to Bangladesh. Cuong praised Bangladesh's economic potential and acknowledged the need for the country to diversify its export products and increase promotional efforts within ASEAN markets.

Additionally, discussions focused on the importance of enhancing regional connectivity through direct air routes and coastal shipping, which would facilitate smoother trade between ASEAN and Bangladesh, according to a press release. 

The Indonesian representative also expressed interest in investing in Bangladesh's solar power sector, while other participants suggested promoting tourism and investing in the service sector, particularly in developing skilled manpower to meet global demand.

The meeting was attended by several other ASEAN ambassadors, including Nina P Cainglet, ambassador of the Philippines, Haji Haris Bin Haji Othman, high commissioner of Brunei Darussalam, U Kyaw Soe Moe, ambassador of Myanmar, and officials from the embassies of Thailand and Indonesia. 

ICC Bangladesh Vice Presidents AK Azad and Naser Ezaz Bijoy, along with Secretary General Ataur Rahman and other senior officials, were also present.