Dhaka: Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has invited the President of South Korea to visit Bangladesh at a convenient time as the two countries seek to deepen bilateral trade and investment cooperation.
The invitation was extended during a meeting with South Korean Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo at the Cabinet Division of the Bangladesh Secretariat, according to Prime Minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Shahadat Shadhin.
At the outset of the meeting, the South Korean trade minister briefed the Prime Minister on the proposed Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) between Bangladesh and South Korea.
He said the agreement, once signed and implemented, would further expand bilateral trade and economic cooperation while significantly increasing South Korean investment in Bangladesh.
Yeo Han-koo said many South Korean companies are already operating successfully in Bangladesh and many more are interested in investing in the country in the coming years.
Welcoming greater South Korean investment, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman invited Korean entrepreneurs to invest in Bangladesh’s toy, electronics, telecommunications, automobile, semiconductor and shipbuilding sectors.
The Prime Minister said South Korea has advanced expertise in the shipbuilding industry, while Bangladesh has a promising workforce for the sector.
He proposed that South Korea establish training centres in Bangladesh to provide technical and language training for Bangladeshi workers seeking employment in the Korean shipbuilding industry.
Tarique Rahman also assured that the government would provide the necessary support if South Korean companies invest in Bangladesh’s shipbuilding sector.
During the meeting, the Bangladesh side informed the visiting minister about plans to organise a seminar involving South Korean companies to explore new investment opportunities in the country.
The South Korean trade minister was also briefed on the government’s initiatives to ensure an investment-friendly environment in Bangladesh.
Yeo Han-koo said the proposals presented by Bangladesh would further strengthen future relations between the two friendly countries.
Commerce, Industries, Textiles and Jute Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Finance and Planning Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Foreign Affairs Humaiun Kobir and Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, among others, attended the meeting.
