Staff Reporter:
The European Union (EU) has expressed strong interest in further expanding trade and investment coop-eration with Bangladesh, underscoring the need for a more transparent and business-friendly trading en-vironment.
The interest was conveyed during a meeting — between EU Ambassador to Bangladesh Michael Miller and Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir — held at Bangladesh Secretariat yesterday.
During the meeting, both sides discussed ways to deepen bilateral trade relations and unlock new invest-ment opportunities.
Discussions focused on reducing non-tariff barriers, simplifying import-export procedures, and enhanc-ing overall trade facilitation to strengthen economic engagement between the two sides.
Muktadir highlighted the EU as one of Bangladesh’s most significant trading partners and reiterated the government’s commitment to policy and institutional reforms aimed at boosting exports and attracting foreign investment.
He also pointed to ongoing efforts to streamline trade processes and reduce non-tariff barriers, including the publication of the Import Policy Order for stakeholder feedback on the ministry’s website under the Ministry of Commerce.
Ambassador Miller appreciated the government’s ongoing efforts to improve the investment climate and noted that while some complex trade issues would require time to resolve, sustained cooperation and dialogue could deliver long-term solutions.
He also reaffirmed that the EU and its business community remain ready to support Bangladesh through technical expertise and constructive engagement.
Both sides expressed optimism that continued dialogue and joint initiatives would help translate shared priorities into practical outcomes for expanding trade and investment cooperation.
Senior officials of the Ministry of Commerce were also present at the meeting.
