German and Swedish ambassadors have separate meetings with the commerce minister

Photo: Collected

News Desk: Bangladesh’s Commerce Minister Khandker Abdul Muktadir held separate meetings with the German Ambassador to Bangladesh, Rüdiger Lotz, and the Swedish Ambassador, Nicolas Weeks.

The meetings took place on Sunday (April 12) at the minister’s office in the Secretariat, where various aspects of bilateral trade, investment, and economic cooperation were discussed in detail.

The Commerce Minister said that Europe is a major destination for Bangladesh’s export products. He emphasized that both sides could benefit from strengthening bilateral trade cooperation.

He also mentioned that there are some non-tariff barriers in trade with European Union countries, and the Ministry of Commerce has already initiated discussions with relevant ministries to address these issues.

At the meeting, he invited Germany to invest in Bangladesh’s light engineering, textile, and leather sectors.

The minister further stated that the government has undertaken multifaceted initiatives to create an investment-friendly environment. With around 2 to 2.2 million new entrants to the workforce every year, foreign investment is crucial for employment generation.

German Ambassador Dr. Rüdiger Lotz said that Germany is interested in further strengthening trade relations with Bangladesh. He expressed interest in working on skill development in market-oriented sectors and developing potential markets. He also highlighted the importance of ensuring a level playing field in business.

Later, the Commerce Minister met with Swedish Ambassador Nicolas Weeks. The meeting focused on enhancing bilateral trade, investment, and economic cooperation between the two countries.

The minister said that increased investment would further strengthen Bangladesh–Sweden relations. He noted that necessary steps have already been taken to remove non-tariff barriers with Sweden, which will help boost trade and investment in the future.

Swedish Ambassador Nicolas Weeks expressed interest in expanding bilateral trade and noted that Sweden is a global leader in the telecom sector, with significant investments worldwide. He also showed interest in investing in Bangladesh’s telecom sector.

Additional Secretary (Export) of the Ministry of Commerce, Md. Abdur Rahim Khan, was also present at the meetings.