Shama hosts luncheon for visiting US-Bangladesh Business Council delegation

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaid Islam hosted a luncheon in honour of the visiting delegation of the US-Bangladesh Business Council (USBBC) on Thursday.

Oliver Simpson, executive vice president of Excelerate Energy and head of the delegation, and Atul Keshap, president of USBBC and senior vice president for South Asia at the US Chamber of Commerce, among others from the USBBC, attended the luncheon.

Senior officials of the government of Bangladesh and prominent business leaders from Bangladesh were also present, said a press release.

The 45-member delegation, representing 25 leading US companies across energy, technology, financial services, healthcare and agriculture is visiting Dhaka from 11 to 13 August to explore avenues for deepening bilateral trade and investment cooperation.

During the luncheon, the State Minister welcomed the delegation and underscored the importance of continued engagement between Bangladesh and the US business community. Members of the delegation and Bangladeshi business leaders shared experiences on opportunities and challenges relating to trade, investment and business operations in Bangladesh.

The discussions covered a range of areas, including energy, technology, digital economy, healthcare, agriculture and financial services, reflecting the broad scope of Bangladesh–US economic engagement.

Peter Haas, strategic advisor to Excelerate Energy, and Atul Keshap delivered the concluding remarks and vote of thanks, expressing appreciation for the warm hospitality and the opportunity for meaningful engagement with Bangladeshi stakeholders.

The luncheon reaffirmed the shared interest in further strengthening Bangladesh–US economic and commercial relations and promoting greater trade and investment cooperation between the two countries.

Earlier Thursday, the delegation held a two-hour-long meeting with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in the presence of the Foreign Minister, Finance Minister, Commerce Minister, State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Adviser for Foreign Affairs and relevant Advisers to the Prime Minister. The meeting provided an opportunity for in-depth discussions on strengthening Bangladesh–US trade and investment relations and exploring new avenues of economic cooperation.