Bangladesh and China convened a significant summit titled ‘The Rise of Bengal Tiger: Summit on Trade, Business and Investment Opportunities between Bangladesh and China’ on 09 July 2024, at Beijing’s China World Summit Wing to bolster their economic relations. Co-organized by BIDA and BSEC, the event received robust backing from key stakeholders, including the Bangladesh Embassy in Beijing and the China Embassy in Dhaka
The summit was marked by an impactful address from H.E. Sheikh Hasina, MP, Honourable Prime Minister of Bangladesh, who called upon the Chinese business community to explore investment opportunities in Bangladesh’s critical sectors. The Honourable Prime Minister underscored Bangladesh’s open investment environment and highlighted sectors like infrastructure, energy, and logistics as areas ripe for collaboration.
“We welcome investments in key sectors of Bangladesh,” the honourable prime minister affirmed. “Let’s join hands to achieve substantial growth together.”
The summit began with a welcoming speech by Mr. Lokman Hossain Miah, Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA).
The summit featured speeches by notable figures, including Professor Shibli Rubayat Ul Islam from BSEC, who highlighted substantial trade and investment prospects between the two nations. Ambassadors H.E. Mr. Md. Jashim Uddin and H.E. Mr. Yao Wen emphasized the importance of bilateral cooperation.
A significant moment came with the signing of strategic partnerships, notably between Nagad Ltd. and Huawei Technologies (Bangladesh) Limited for a digital financial platform and between Deshbandhu Group, Chemtex, and China Chemical CNCEC for a major industrial project in Mongla Economic Zone, valued at around $400 million. This venture aims to boost Bangladesh’s industrial capacity, with projections of $1 billion in annual exports.
The summit concluded with a panel discussion involving top business leaders and dignitaries from both nations, reaffirming commitments to strengthen economic collaboration.