Bangladesh Business Summit begins today

For the first time in Bangladesh, an international business summit is set to begin in Dhaka today to showcase the current and future potential of the economy.

Dignitaries from various parts of the world are expected to attend the three-day show, ‘Bangladesh Business Summit’, with entry ticket costing at least $200.

Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) is organising the the summit for the first time as part of the golden jubilee celebrations of the country's apex trade body.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to inaugurate the three-day expo at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital’s Agargaon.

Ministers from seven countries, including the United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, China, Bhutan, and the United Arab Emirates, CEOs of 12 multinational companies, and more than 200 foreign investors and business leaders from 17 countries of the world are also going to participate in the summit.

FBCCI President Md Jashim Uddin said the summit will help enhance Bangladesh's economic capacity, create new investment opportunities, and promote business expansion in the country.

He termed the business summit an innovation of the current executive board of the trade body which will continue as a signature event in future.

“The event has set a new example for Bangladesh as around 800 delegates have already confirmed their participation by purchasing premium tokens costing between $200 to $500,” Habib Ullah Dawn, vice-president at FBCCI, told the Daily Sun.

Dawn also mentioned that nine ministers from different countries have confirmed their participation at the conference.

The conference will feature three plenary sessions on strategic issues, 14 parallel sessions, B2B meetings, networking sessions, open house reception, and guided tours for delegates. According to the conference's chief technical advisor Masrur Reaz, the event will showcase the economic market and investment opportunities in Bangladesh.

"In the last couple of years, there were huge development activities in the country. The infrastructure is ready to attract foreign investment. The conference will bring local and foreign investors under the same roof to have more specific discussions," Masrur, also chairman at Policy Exchange, told Daily Sun.

Additionally, 400 students from 10 universities will participate in the conference to inspire them towards entrepreneurship and startup culture, according to the organisers.

The summit will also organize the Best of Bangladesh Expo, showcasing booming sectors, including textiles, agro-processed food, leather, ceramics, and jute of the country, to foreign investors. FBCCI will also honor successful business personalities of the country, marking the golden jubilee celebrations.