EPB seeks Pakistani investment in Bangladesh’s jute sector

Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) Vice Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Mohammad Hasan Arif on Monday called for Pakistani investment in Bangladesh’s jute and jute products.
He also urged a visiting Pakistani business delegation to import environmentally friendly jute goods from Bangladesh and invited them to participate in the Dhaka International Trade Fair to strengthen bilateral trade ties.
The call came during a meeting at the EPB office in Dhaka with a 15-member delegation from the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), led by its Senior Vice President Mohammad Raza.
Discussions focused on boosting trade and investment between the two countries. Hasan Arif noted that bilateral trade remains below US$1 billion, indicating significant untapped potential, and stressed the need to remove tariff and non-tariff barriers. He added that Bangladesh offers a safe and favourable environment for investment, with assurances of support in resolving trade-related issues.
He also highlighted opportunities for collaboration in agriculture and agro-based products, light engineering, and textiles.
The Pakistani delegation emphasised the need to reduce the trade imbalance and proposed measures including participation in the upcoming “My Karachi Show”, lowering trade barriers, implementing decisions under the Joint Economic Commission, promoting joint investments, and activating the South Asian Preferential Trade Agreement (SAPTA). Both sides also discussed exchanging trade delegations to deepen economic cooperation.