High-profile Indian business delegation scheduled to visit Bangladesh on Aug 17

High-profile Indian business delegation scheduled to visit Bangladesh on Aug 17-18

A high-profile delegation of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) is scheduled to visit Bangladesh on August 17-18 as part of efforts to enhance trade and investment.

An advance team has already arrived in Dhaka to prepare for the visit, according to officials of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) and CII.

The 18-member delegation comes at a time when bilateral relations remain strained and businesses have been affected over the past two years by port restrictions imposed by both sides.

During the visit, the delegation will hold meetings with Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed, Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, the FBCCI, and the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA).

“The delegation is also seeking a meeting with the prime minister,” said an FBCCI official, requesting anonymity.

The delegation will include representatives from major Indian industries such as Godrej Industries, Arvind Limited, The Infravision Foundation, LMW Global, Mahindra Group, Godrej Consumer Products Ltd, Larsen & Toubro, Forbes Marshall, Numaligarh Refinery Ltd, Beximco IOC Petroleum Ltd, and Apollo Hospitals.

Current annual trade between Bangladesh and India stands at about $12 billion, with Bangladesh exporting goods worth close to $2 billion to India.

According to CII, Bangladesh is India’s largest trading partner in South Asia, and the organisation wants to further strengthen trade relations. It said economic cooperation remains the backbone of bilateral ties, adding that expanding market access, reducing non-tariff barriers and improving border infrastructure could significantly boost trade.