Bangladesh to pursue economic diplomacy: PM

Bangladesh's diplomacy will be economic diplomacy, said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today.

She said that foreign ministry and all the high commissions, embassies and missions abroad have already been directed to work and go ahead following the strategy that "our present diplomacy will be economic diplomacy".

She continued that the government has already conducted feasibility studies on 23 countries for bilateral and regional trade agreements, free trade agreement and comprehensive economic agreement.

She made the statement at the inauguration ceremony of the 26th edition of the trade fair by joining virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban

"We are working and taking preparation to tackle any challenges as a developing nation," she added.

Referring to the country's up-gradation as a developing nation, Sheikh Hasina said that there is still long way to go to fulfil the dream of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and
the government is working relentlessly to materialize it.

The prime minister also said research is needed for expansion of trade and commerce to understand and maintain the product demand and its quality.

She urged the country's businessmen to put concentration on research for product diversification and own branding to boost export and business growth, reports BSS.

"You (Businessmen) have to move ahead (inside and outside the country) through developing own brand" she told the inaugural ceremony of the month-long Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF)-2022 at Bangabandhu Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Centre (BBCFEC) at Purbachal, a new city in the outskirts of the capital.

In this connection, she said, industry owners and exporters should put their focus on this issue to boost export.

"I called upon you [businessmen] that you have to take the initiative to uphold the image of your own country side by side with keeping your market afloat and expand by maintaining quality of your products," she added.

With Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, MP, in the chair, Export Promotion Bureau Vice Chairman and CEO AHM Ahsan gave the welcome address. Commerce Ministry's Senior Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh and FBCCI President Md Jashim Uddin also spoke.

At the outset of the ceremony, an audio-visual highlighting the development activities of the present government was screened.

The PM thanked all stakeholders for their all-out efforts to run the economy during the pandemic. "Bangladesh is advancing, our GDP crossed 8 percent, but it slid down slightly. I believe we'll be able to overcome all the hurdles."

The prime minister, at the function, also declared "ICT Products and Services" as the "Product of the Year" for 2022 to encourage exports in accordance with the export policy.

It was not possible to arrange the DITF in the last year due to Covid-19 pandemic, but now the trade fair is being taken place at its permanent venue (BBCFEC) for the first time.

This year, the fair has been arranged keeping in mind the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the golden jubilee of the country's independence and the development activities of the government.