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Sri Lanka has urged Bangladeshi investors to explore opportunities in its pharmaceutical sector highlighting the country's strategic location, investor-friendly policies, and growing demand for quality healthcare products.
Sri Lankan business leaders and officials made the call at the business plenary session titled 'Sri Lanka & Bangladesh Economic Ties: Building Bridges for Growth' held at the National Chamber's Auditorium in Colombo on Wednesday.
Members of the visiting business delegation of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) participated in the event organised by the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka, says a press release.
The High Commission of Sri Lanka in Bangladesh has extended its facilitating role to DCCI in organising the business visit to Sri Lanka.
Welcoming the DCCI delegation, Anura Warnakulasooriya, President of the National Chamber of Commerce of Sri Lanka, said that mutual trust and confidence are essential for expanding trade and investment, and such cooperation between the private sectors of the two countries will help increase bilateral trade.
He also said, "The more delegations we can exchange, the more businesses will happen."
DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed, in his speech, said that despite global economic challenges and geopolitical turmoil in the last few decades, Bangladesh's economic growth has been quite stable and various sectors such as readymade garments, pharmaceuticals, leather products, agro-processing products, electronics and light engineering, and information technology have played an important role in this journey.
He invited Sri Lankan investors to visit Bangladesh and see the state-of-the-art facilities at the economic zones.
Andre Fernando, President of the Sri Lanka-Bangladesh Business Cooperation Council urged Bangladeshi entrepreneurs to invest and contribute to the development of Sri Lanka's pharmaceutical sector.
Rizwan Rahman, former president of DCCI, said that a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will help boost trade and investment between the two countries.
He pointed out that there is an ample opportunity for both countries to work together in harnessing the great potential of the blue economy and maritime resources.
To expand bilateral trade, he stressed the importance of removing tariff-related barriers and implementing timely and relevant policy reforms.
Mangala Wijesinghe, Chairman of the Sri Lanka Export Development Board, Renuka M Weerakone, Director General of Sri Lanka's Board of Investment, and Andaleeb Elias, Bangladesh High Commissioner in Sri Lanka, also spoke.
DCCI Senior Vice President Razeev H Chowdhury and Vice President Md. Salem Sulaiman were also present.
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