The 1st ever Commonwealth Trade & Investment Forum will be held in Dhaka on 13-14 September 2023, announced at a press conference. The Commonwealth Trade & Investment Forum is going to be organized by Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC) in partnership with the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ZI Foundation.
Salman F Rahman, Private Industry and Investment Adviser to Prime Minister, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh; Lord Swire KCMG, Member of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom and Deputy Chairman of the CWEIC; Md. Shahriar Alam, MP, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh; Lokman Hossain Miah, Executive Chairman (Senior Secretary), Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA); Zillur Hussain MBE, Strategic Advisor, Bangladesh, CWEIC; among others, were present at the press conference organized at a city hotel in Dhaka.
This is the 1st ever Commonwealth Trade & Investment Forum going to be organized in Bangladesh. Previously the Forum was organized in other member states of the Commonwealth such as the United Kingdom, Singapore, Kenya, Rwanda, Malta etc.
Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 56 countries united by common values and is a home to one-third of the world’s population. Bangladesh joined the Commonwealth as its 34th Member in 1972.
The Private Industry and Investment Adviser to Prime Minister Salman F Rahman said ‘‘Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman right after the independence of the country joined in the Commonwealth with the vision of gaining mutual cooperation from the Commonwealth Members. When Bangladesh joined the Commonwealth, the country was in its infant stage struggling with a war-torn economy and a ravaged infrastructure due to the aftermath of the Liberation War. Over time, Bangladesh attained tremendous development on its economic fronts. Under the able leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Bangladesh is graduating into a middle-income country in 2026. This achievement became possible with immense hard work by the nation, along with support from its development partners like the Commonwealth members. Some of the largest trade partners of Bangladesh are Commonwealth members.’’
Lord Swire KCMG, Member of the House of Lords of the United Kingdom and Deputy Chairman of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC) said ‘‘The Commonwealth is an amazing opportunity for Bangladeshi companies to explore – 56 countries of untapped potential and limitless possibilities.’’
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md. Shahriar Alam, MP said ‘‘Commonwealth must address the vulnerabilities of LDCs, LLDCs, SIDS, and countries with special needs, focusing on areas such as the continuation of their trade-related GSPs beyond LDC graduation, private capital flows and flexible financing for green technology transfer.’’
Lokman Hossain Miah, Executive Chairman (Senior Secretary), Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) said “BIDA is delighted to be an official partner of CITF – happening for the first time in Bangladesh. For us, it is a deeply significant and exciting opportunity. It is a strong recognition of our economic progress and future potential, which we have achieved under the visionary and dynamic leadership of the Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. As the country’s apex investment promotion agency, BIDA will take full advantage of the opportunities that this Forum will create. We will also seamlessly deliver investment services to businesses that are interested to explore opportunities in Bangladesh.’’
Zillur Hussain MBE, Strategic Advisor, Bangladesh, Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council said ‘‘Heads of the states, political and business leaders of the Commonwealth members will be attending the Commonwealth Trade & Investment Forum this year in Dhaka. So, the Forum will offer a platform for promoting trade, investment, and economic growth. It aims to foster partnerships, promote innovation, and explore avenues for sustainable and inclusive economic development for Bangladesh.’’
