A high-level bilateral meeting was held today, Sunday, October 4, 2026, at the BGMEA office in Uttara, aimed at further strengthening and expanding the mutual economic partnership between Bangladesh and Pakistan. During the meeting, the High Commissioner of Pakistan to Bangladesh, Imran Haider, paid a courtesy call on BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan and engaged in a highly cordial and productive exchange of views. The fraternal nation of Pakistan expressed a firm commitment to extending full cooperation and partnership for Bangladesh’s industrial and commercial development, a press release said.
Also present at the meeting were BGMEA Senior Vice President Inamul Haque Khan, Vice President Md. Rezwan Selim, Director Shah Rayed Chowdhury, Director Mohammad Sohel, Secretary General Major General Dr. Md. Shahedul Islam (Retd.), and senior officials from the Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka.
During the discussions, both sides placed special emphasis on elevating bilateral trade and economic relations to new heights. Noting that the immense trade potential between the two fraternal nations has not yet been fully realized, the need to balance bilateral trade was highlighted. It is worth noting that while Bangladesh currently imports significant quantities of goods from Pakistan—including essential raw materials for the ready-made garment industry—exports from Bangladesh to Pakistan remain comparatively low.
To address this trade deficit and enhance mutual cooperation, the BGMEA President placed special emphasis on increasing imports of chemicals and dyes—essential for the garment industry—from Pakistan. Additionally, he drew the High Commissioner’s attention to the scope for importing world-class jute yarn and international-standard life-saving pharmaceuticals from Bangladesh on a larger scale. The High Commissioner expressed keen interest in the proposals made by the BGMEA President and assured that necessary steps would be taken to expand bilateral trade.
During the meeting, emphasis was placed on the exchange of high-level business delegations between the two countries to expand bilateral trade and commerce. The High Commissioner stated that if a business delegation comprising exporters from Bangladesh’s ready-made garment and other sectors visits Pakistan, arrangements would be made for specific B2B meetings and matchmaking sessions with Pakistan’s leading importers, brands, buyers, and business associations.
Detailed discussions were held regarding market opportunities in both countries and strategic ways to enhance market access. Although Bangladesh currently enjoys duty-free benefits under SAFTA as a Least Developed Country (LDC), global trade policies will shift following its graduation from LDC status. Preliminary discussions took place on how both nations could establish an effective bilateral special free trade arrangement to sustain and secure trade flows while addressing the challenges associated with this transition. To invigorate commercial ties, the BGMEA President highlighted the importance of modernizing the logistics sector, noting that direct maritime transport currently takes too long and needs to be expedited. It was expressed that these logistics and shipping-related barriers could be overcome through mutual cooperation between the two countries.
Furthermore, the meeting addressed the long-term human resource and institutional development of the textile, apparel, and fashion sectors. The High Commissioner remarked that student exchanges, as well as the sharing of experiences and technical knowledge between BUFT and Pakistan’s leading fashion and textile institutes, are essential at this juncture. He also placed special emphasis on undertaking joint initiatives to foster mutual development and excellence in textile technology. Following the meeting, both sides expressed strong optimism that these bilateral discussions would make the foundation of the good relations and mutual economic cooperation between Bangladesh and Pakistan even more meaningful and fruitful in the days ahead.
