Bangladesh, Mexico to expand bilateral trade

Bangladesh and Mexico have agreed to work together to expand trade, investment, and bilateral relations between the two countries.

The agreement was reached at a recent meeting of Mexico's Vice-Minister for Foreign Trade, Luz Maria de la Mora Sanchez, and Bangladesh's State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Md Shahriar Alam, during the latter's recent visit to Mexico on the occasion of the country's 200th independence anniversary, according to a press release.

At the meeting, both the ministers stressed the need to further strengthen economic ties between the two countries.

In response to a proposal of Mora Sanchez' to organise a seminar and exhibition on trade in Mexico City with the participation of Bangladeshi businessmen, Shahriar Alam assured him of maintaining regular communication in this regard through the Bangladesh Embassy.

The state minister thanked the Government of Mexico for its continued support for the repatriation of the displaced Rohingya people of Myanmar on various multilateral platforms.

Mora Sanchez expressed satisfaction with the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed in the presence of State Minister Shahriar Alam, between Bangladesh's top business body, Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI), and Mexico's top business body, Consejo Empresarial Mexicano de Comercio Exterior (COMCE).

At the meeting between the business representatives of both the countries, they reached a decision to establish a Bangladesh-Mexico Chamber of Commerce.

Mora Sanchez said the MoU would play a significant role in expanding trade between the two countries.

In this regard, Shahriar Alam said the FBCCI has set a trade target of more than $1 billion between the two countries, which is very promising.

The state minister noted that the decision of the Mexican military delegation to participate in the closing ceremony of the Golden Jubilee and Victory Day celebrations of Bangladesh has particularly inspired us. He emphasised the need for regular foreign office consultations between the two countries.

During his visit to Mexico, Shahriar Alam delivered a commemorative speech to the students of the Ibero-American University of Mexico, which was broadcast live by the university authorities and was attended by more than 2,700 students.

In his speech, Shahriar Alam said Bangladesh has emerged as one of the economic powers in Asia in the last one decade under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. He highlighted various aspects of Bangladesh's remarkable prosperity, saying the international community has hailed Bangladesh as a 'development wonder' for its remarkable achievements in poverty alleviation, food security, women's empowerment, and inclusive economic growth.