Ambassador of Egypt to Bangladesh, Omar Fahmy paid a courtesy visit to Faruque Hassan, President of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), at BGMEA Complex in the capital’s Uttara on Monday. The Egyptian Ambassador was accompanied by Mina Makary, Second Secretary at the embassy, a press release said on Tuesday.
The meeting focused on key issues aimed at boosting bilateral trade and exploring mutually beneficial trade and investment opportunities. Discussions between Ambassador Omar Fahmy and BGMEA President Faruque Hassan centered around ways to enhance the existing bilateral trade relations between Bangladesh and Egypt.
Faruque highlighted the BGMEA’s ongoing efforts to diversify export markets beyond traditional markets. He expressed Bangladesh’s keen interest in increasing the export of readymade garments to Egypt, pointing to the substantial opportunity for growth in this market.
Both sides acknowledged the untapped potential and discussed strategies to further penetrate the Egyptian market.
The BGMEA President underscored the importance of fostering stronger connections between the business communities of the two countries. In this regard, he lauded the launching of Dhaka-Cairo direct flight, saying it would facilitate business travels between two countries. He also expressed hope that the frequency of Dhaka-Cairo flight would increase in the future.
Laying emphasis on trade exhibitions and bilateral trade visits to facilitate exploration of mutual opportunities, Faruque sought cooperation from Ambassador Omar Fahmy to strengthen economic ties.
The envoy expressed keen interest of Egypt in tapping into opportunities within Bangladesh, with a specific emphasis on supplying chemicals and various raw materials.
Ambassador Fahmy called upon Bangladeshi RMG entrepreneurs to consider establishing factories in Egypt, highlighting the potential duty-free advantages available to them in dealings with other countries.
The BGMEA President extended a warm invitation to Egyptian business delegations, urging them to explore trade and investment opportunities in Bangladesh.
During the meeting, both sides engaged in discussions regarding potential collaboration between BGMEA University of Fashion and Technology (BUFT) and prominent Egyptian fashion institutes.
In addition to economic collaborations, their discussions also touched upon the prospects of boosting tourism. They talked about avenues for encouraging tourists from Egypt to visit Bangladesh and vice versa.
BGMEA Directors Asif Ashraf, Abdullah Hil Rakib, Chair of BGMEA Standing Committee on Press, Publication and Publicity Shovon Islam, Chair of BGMEA Standing Committee on Trade Fair Mohammad Kamal Uddin and Chairman of Mithela Group Md. Azahar Khan were also present at the meeting.
