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The Saudi Arabia-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SABCCI) will officially be launched tomorrow (Tuesday). It will be the first bilateral chamber with a Middle Eastern nation.
Already, the newly formed chamber has organised a three-day Saudi Arabia-Bangladesh Business Summit that will begin today in Dhaka. The summit aims to strengthen bilateral trade, economic, and investment ties between the two countries.
Announcing the event at a press conference in the capital's Gulshan area on Sunday, SABCCI President Ashraful Haq Chowdhury described the initiative as a "timely step toward building a strong economic and investment partnership between Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh."
He said one of the key goals of the summit is to expand Bangladesh's presence in the Saudi market, thereby reducing dependence on a limited number of traditional export destinations such as the United States and Europe.
A 20-member Saudi business delegation, led by Sheikh Omar Abdul Hafiz Amir Baksh, owner of the Majd Al Umran Group, will attend the summit.
The delegation includes Naji Abdullah, Director of Al Isayi Group; Professor Mohammad Asif Salam of King Abdul Aziz University, who also heads an IT firm; and Professor Dr Khalid Al Harbi, a veteran health expert from Al Tayyebah University.
The summit will bring together business leaders, economists, policymakers, and sectoral experts from both countries to explore opportunities in trade and joint investment.
Discussions will focus on potential cooperation in key sectors such as ready-made garments, agriculture, information technology, digital finance, and eco-friendly jute goods.
Ashraful Haq noted that Bangladesh now aims to go beyond traditional manpower exports and seek partnerships in advanced industries, including petrochemicals, steel, agro-industries, green technology, cyber security, and semiconductors.
The opening ceremony will take place on Monday, with Commerce Adviser Sk. Bashir Uddin attending as the chief guest and Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr Ahsan H. Mansur as the special guest.
Former Commerce Minister and BNP Standing Committee Member Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury will chair the inaugural session.
The first day will include the arrival of the Saudi delegation and a reception dinner.
On Tuesday (October 7), the official launch of SABCCI will be held at a gala event at 7 pm, to be inaugurated by Foreign Affairs Adviser Mohammad Towhid Hossain, with BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir attending as the special guest.
The final day, October 8, will feature B2B meetings and a luncheon hosted by the Foreign Secretary at the state guesthouse Padma.
The event will conclude with a press conference at Hotel Sonargaon, where the outcomes of the summit will be shared.
SABCCI Vice President Ahmed Yusuf Walid, Pran-RFL Group Director Uzma Chowdhury, and City Bank Deputy Managing Director Mesbaul Asif Siddiqui were also present at the press conference.
Ashraful Haq expressed optimism that the summit and the new chamber would open a new chapter in Saudi-Bangladesh economic relations, paving the way for increased trade, investment, and industrial cooperation.
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