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State Minister for Foreign Affairs Md Shahriar Alam has proposed to host a 'Commonwealth Business-to-business Connectivity' conference in Dhaka in the first quarter of next year.
He said Bangladesh wants to host the event as the lead country within the Commonwealth for entrepreneurs and businesses, while addressing the Commonwealth Foreign Affairs Ministers meeting (CFAMM) in London.
He placed several proposals at the meeting at Marlborough House on Wednesday, the Bangladesh High Commission said.
The UK, Chair-in-Office of the Commonwealth, hosted the 18th CFAMM, a special meeting marking the 70th founding anniversary as it embarks on a historic reform process.
Foreign ministers from across the Commonwealth participated in the meeting. The state minister headed a six-member Bangladesh delegation.
He outlined Bangladesh’s plan to launch a virtual hub for connecting business, trade and policy making bodies for both documentation and showcasing business opportunities across the Commonwealth.
The state minister urged the Commonwealth member states to share their business and trade information to help enrich the proposed virtual platform.
Shahriar also conveyed plans to make a special publication on the occasion of the proposed business conference.
He offered to share the innovation engines designed by Bangladeshi researchers for connecting factors of production and consumer markets through seamless digital connectivity, bdnews24.com reports.
He mentioned Bangladesh's self-initiative 'Climate Change Trust Fund (CCTF) from its own resources to combat climatic adversities while urging member states to focus on three policy interventions regarding climate change-security, including implementation of the 2030 Agenda, the Paris Agreement and the Sendai Framework.
He called for greater cooperation in international development cooperation for providing additional financial resources for adaptation, special and differential treatment for trade, ensuring technology transfer to the vulnerable countries.
At the sidelines of the CFAMM, the state minister met the Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
He also met the Prince of Wales at the Clarence House at a reception while interacting with British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland.