Prime Minister Tarique Rahman held a meeting with a 50-member delegation of the US-Bangladesh Business Council on Thursday to discuss ways to increase US investment in Bangladesh, create jobs and accelerate economic growth.
The meeting was held at the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in Bangladesh Secretariat around 9:30am.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, PMO Spokesperson Mahdi Amin described the discussions as “highly productive and effective”, saying detailed and positive talks were held on how the US private sector could help boost foreign investment, create new employment opportunities and accelerate Bangladesh's economic progress.
PM urges US businesses to ‘invest with confidence’, build long-term partnership
Representatives from leading US businesses took part in the meeting, which focused on expanding US investment in Bangladesh and further strengthening the long-standing trade and economic ties between the two countries.
Mahdi Amin, also Prime Minister’s adviser, said the meeting also discussed how the US private sector could contribute to implementing the government's election manifesto and various policies. The US businesses expressed interest in helping accelerate economic growth through job creation.
He expressed hope that the visit by representatives of leading US businesses will further deepen Bangladesh-US economic ties.
“We firmly believe that this successful meeting with the Prime Minister will take us one step closer to our vision of building a self-reliant and prosperous Bangladesh,” the PMO spokesperson said.
Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer of Excelerate Energy Oliver Simpson and President of the US-Bangladesh Business Council and Senior Vice President for South Asia at the US Chamber of Commerce Ambassador (retd) Atul Keshap led the delegation.
Speaking to reporters, Keshap said US companies are proud to be Bangladesh's largest foreign investment partner and expressed confidence in the country's economic potential.
He said they listened carefully to the Prime Minister's visionary outlook for the future of this great country, including his commitment to harnessing the tremendous potential of Bangladesh's people and human resources.
Referring to the government's vision of transforming Bangladesh into a $1 trillion economy by 2034, the US-Bangladesh Business Council president said the private sector could play a powerful catalytic role by bringing technology, global experience and capital to accelerate people's welfare and economic prosperity.
“Bangladesh is truly a country of tremendous potential,” he said, adding that several US companies have built partnerships with Bangladeshis over decades, contributing to job creation, revenue generation and overall economic progress.
Keshap said the US business community has been encouraged by the government's focus on social development, public welfare, job creation and maintaining balance in macroeconomic indicators.
“We will take this positive message back to our respective companies and the US business community through the US Chamber of Commerce,” he said.
The US-Bangladesh Business Council president also thanked the Prime Minister, government members, secretaries, advisers and others concerned for their hospitality, expressing hope that the partnership between Bangladesh and the United States will continue to grow in the coming decades.
The US business delegation included senior executives from US-Bangladesh Business Council, US Chamber of Commerce, Excelerate Energy, Chevron, Meta (Facebook), Visa, US Soybean Export Council, MetLife, Boeing, Uber, Asia Group, APR Energy, Venva, VF Corporation, Corteva Agriscience, Salesforce, Ulka Semi, Pathao, Cisco, Abbott, Metrotac, HSBC Bank, Standard Chartered Bank, Anchorless and Drinkwell.
Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman, Industries Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir, Prime Minister's Adviser on Finance and Planning Rashed Al Mahmud Titumir, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Aninda Islam Amit, Prime Minister's advisers Humaiun Kobir and Rehan Asif Asad, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Executive Chairman Ashik Chowdhury and Prime Minister's Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon, among others, were present at the meeting.