High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in Dhaka, Dharmapala Weerakkody held a productive meeting with newly appointed President of the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI), Taskeen Ahmed on 16 March 2025 at the DCCI office in Dhaka. Counsellor / Commerce of the High Commission, Srimali Jayarathne accompanied the High Commissioner to the meeting.
DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed commended the strong trade and economic relations between the two countries and underscored the importance of further enhancing the partnership into a more mutually beneficial cooperation through new pragmatic initiatives. He particularly emphasized the immense potential for close collaboration in the healthcare and hospitality sectors through joint investments and the exchange of technical expertise. Additionally, he highlighted the investment opportunities for Sri Lankan businesses available in Bangladesh, particularly in the deep-sea fishing industry. He also mentioned that DCCI is planning to organize a visit of a Bangladeshi business delegation to Sri Lanka this year to meet with their counterparts to discuss and explore future collaborative business opportunities in both countries.
The DCCI president further highlighted the importance of finalizing the proposed Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to facilitate smooth bilateral trade flows through lower tariffs and other trade concessions. He appreciated the significant contributions made by the Sri Lankan investors and professionals for the economic development of Bangladesh.
During the meeting, High Commissioner Weerakkody stated that there are numerous untapped opportunities for business communities in the trade and investment sectors of the two countries. Moreover, he highlighted that Bangladesh investors have promising opportunities to invest in Sri Lanka especially in the pharmaceutical, IT and textile manufacturing sectors using the facilities and incentives available for foreign investors in the strategic textile manufacturing investments zone located in Eravur, Batticaloa.
The High Commissioner further emphasized the importance of cooperation between the two countries in the tourism sector, as Sri Lanka has become a favorite destination for Bangladeshi travellers. Additionally, he mentioned that Bangladesh is a preferred destination for Sri Lankan companies to expand their businesses through direct foreign investments and joint ventures with local firms.
Both the High Commissioner and the DCCI President agreed to work on exchanging business delegations to further enhance bilateral economic cooperation.
High Commission of Sri Lanka
Dhaka
19 March 2025
