Dhaka: Prime Minister’s Adviser and PMO Spokesperson Mahdi Amin has said around 45 senior executives from 25 leading US companies are scheduled to visit Bangladesh by the end of next week to explore investment opportunities and strengthen Bangladesh-US economic relations.
The visiting business delegation is expected to hold meetings with officials from different ministries and government agencies and is also likely to meet Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
Mahdi Amin made the remarks while briefing reporters outside the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in Tejgaon following a meeting between Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and visiting US President’s Special Envoy for South and Central Asia Sergio Gor.
He said the visit would mark an important step towards increasing US investment in Bangladesh and deepening the economic partnership between the two countries.
Mahdi said the US envoy expressed strong confidence in the leadership of Bangladesh’s elected Prime Minister during discussions held earlier in the day.
“They noted that political stability has returned to Bangladesh under Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s leadership and that the country’s democratic journey is progressing positively,” he said.
He added that the US side appreciated the government’s policies and initiatives undertaken over the past five months, while both sides held detailed discussions on advancing multidimensional and multilateral relations through a stronger economic partnership.
The PMO spokesperson said growing international confidence in Bangladesh is increasingly being reflected globally.
Referring to the revised US State Department travel advisory, he said the decision would encourage American investors and visitors to explore new economic opportunities in Bangladesh.
“This visit will help expand bilateral trade and investment and create substantial employment opportunities in the country,” he added.
Mahdi also referred to the Prime Minister’s recent meeting with leading entrepreneurs and industrialists, attended by ministers, state ministers, advisers and heads of government agencies.
He said the BNP-led government has been working over the past five months to address challenges in governance, trade and investment inherited from the previous administration.
According to Mahdi, business leaders urged the government to address long-term shortages of electricity and gas, ensure energy security, reform the tax and tariff systems, and remove investment bottlenecks in economic zones, including those under the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) and the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA).
“The Prime Minister listened attentively to their proposals and assured them of ensuring a pro-business and pro-investment environment,” he said.
Mahdi added that the Prime Minister also made immediate decisions based on recommendations from the business community to make import and export trade faster and more efficient.
He said the Prime Minister directed the authorities concerned to ensure round-the-clock services at Chattogram Port, Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and other ports to keep commercial activities uninterrupted.
Reiterating the government’s priorities, the PMO spokesperson said the administration is focused on harnessing the country’s demographic dividend by equipping young people with the skills needed for employment and self-employment.
“The government is committed to successfully implementing people-oriented budgets and policies under the slogan, ‘Korbo Kaj Gorbo Desh, Sobar Agee Bangladesh (We Will Work, We Will Build the Nation, Bangladesh First)’,” he said.
Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon, Deputy Press Secretary Jahidul Islam Rony and Assistant Press Secretary K M Nazmul Haque, among others, were present at the briefing.
