TBT DESK: To further expand bilateral trade and investment, Dubai Chambers in the UAE organised a "Dubai-Bangladesh Business Briefing" at the Dubai Chambers' Auditorium on Wednesday.
Members of the visiting business delegation of DCCI participated in the meeting.
Meanwhile, DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed is currently leading a 29-member business delegation to the UAE, according to a Commerce Ministry press release.
Speaking on the occasion, Dhaka Chamber President Taskeen Ahmed said Bangladeshi nationals constitute one of the largest expatriate communities in the UAE, accounting for 17% of Bangladesh's total overseas employment, making the UAE the second-largest destination after Saudi Arabia.
He said Bangladesh's competitive investment framework, fiscal and non-fiscal incentives, favourable regulatory environment for foreign investors, 100% foreign ownership, bonded warehouse facilities, and strong intellectual property protection make Bangladesh an attractive destination for UAE investment.
"Also there is an opportunity for UAE entrepreneurs to invest in the logistics service sector in the proposed economic zones, especially to improve the overall infrastructure of business and investment in Bangladesh," he added.
Taskeen also urged the entrepreneurs of Dubai to set up skills development training centres in Bangladesh and invest in renewable energy, FINTECH, the financial sector, healthcare, information and technology and the tourism sector.
In his welcome speech, Mohammed Lootah, President and CEO of Dubai Chambers, expressed their commitment to strengthening cooperation between the business communities in Dubai and Bangladesh to foster partnerships and contribute to achieving shared developmental goals.
He also assured of extending comprehensive support to Bangladeshi businesses and investors to help them grow their operations in Dubai.
Lootah later said that the number of Bangladeshi companies registered as active members of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce reached 8,686 by the end of 2024, reflecting Dubai's growing attractiveness among Bangladeshi investors.
He also requested the Bangladeshi companies to establish their local offices in the UAE which would play an important role in helping Bangladeshi exporters to grab the Middle Eastern as well as African market.
He urged Bangladeshi IT companies to invest in the UAE. He opined that establishing an effective data centre in Bangladesh is crucial for the development of the information technology sector.
At the end of the business discussion, a B2B match-making session was held with the representatives of 50 Dubai Chambers' member companies and members of the business delegation of DCCI, where the entrepreneurs of the two countries participated in a detailed discussion on the trade and investment possibilities.
DCCI Senior Vice-President Razeev H Chowdhury, Vice President Md Salem Sulaiman and delegation members were also present on the occasion.