Italian Ambassador to Bangladesh Antonio Alessandro has said the country’s current stable political environment presents a favourable opportunity for business, trade and investment, as Chattogram business leaders sought greater Italian participation in Bangladesh’s infrastructure and free trade zones.
The ambassador made the remarks at a business-to-business (B2B) workshop with Italian textile machinery and technology companies held on 9 July at the conference hall of the World Trade Center in Chattogram, the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry said in a press release.
Alessandro said bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Italy has exceeded €2 billion, with Italy importing goods worth around €1.6 billion from Bangladesh. He said Italian companies were ready to provide machinery and technological support to help Bangladesh’s readymade garment sector diversify products and improve quality.
He also stressed the need to strengthen business links between Italian and Bangladeshi companies by utilising Chattogram’s geographical advantages to expand trade and investment opportunities.
Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Mohammad Amirul Haque said Chattogram was emerging as an important economic hub for Bangladesh.
He said a China Economic Zone and free trade zone were being developed along the Karnaphuli River, while another free trade zone was being established in Matarbari. Discussions were also underway with the Chinese government on creating a China-Myanmar-Bangladesh economic corridor, he added.
Haque said successful implementation of these initiatives would create new opportunities for regional connectivity, trade, investment and industrialisation, helping transform Chattogram into a major trade and logistics hub for South and Southeast Asia.
He urged Italian companies to take advantage of Chattogram’s potential and invest in Bangladesh as economic partners. He added that foreign investors would be able to obtain all required licences through a one-stop process in the free trade zones.
The chamber president said Italian companies could contribute significantly to Bangladesh’s product diversification efforts, particularly through machinery and technological development in the textile, leather and steel sectors.
Italy’s Honorary Consul Mirza Salman Ispahani said Italian machinery had strong demand in Bangladesh’s textile industry. He said B2B discussions would help businesses exchange technical knowledge and expertise.
Participants also called for the establishment of service centres for Italian-exported machinery, joint training centres to improve local operators’ skills in machine repair and operation, and investment by Italian companies, either independently or through partnerships, to manufacture and market machinery in Bangladesh.
Representatives from the Italian Trade Agency, Antonietta Baccanari and Cinzia Campanile, attended the workshop. Other speakers included former Chittagong Chamber senior vice-president M A Salam, former vice-president Syed Mohammad Tanvir, former directors S M Abu Tayyab and M Mahbub Uddin Chowdhury, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association Director Ahmed Noor Faisal, Bangladesh Textile Machinery Association representative Mirza Ahmed Ispahani, and Bangladesh Ship Breakers and Recycling Association President Mohammad Mohsin.
Representatives from textile sectors in Italy and Bangladesh also attended the event, where Italian machinery companies presented their organisations through informational videos.
