Leading Bangladeshi industrialists on Monday urged the United States to lift visa-related restrictions on Bangladeshi nationals and assured higher imports of agricultural products, energy and machinery from the US to help narrow the bilateral trade gap.
The call was made during a meeting between US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T Christensen and owners and senior representatives of five major industrial groups at the Radisson Blu Chattogram Bay View on Monday afternoon.
Participants included Meghna Group of Industries Chairman and Managing Director Mustafa Kamal, Seacom Group Chairman Mohammed Amirul Haque, Paragon Group Managing Director Mashiur Rahman, Nahar Agro Managing Director Rakibur Rahman Tutul and a senior official of City Group.
According to participants, discussions centred on expanding US–Bangladesh trade, simplifying import procedures, easing regulatory and compliance-related barriers and addressing the long-standing trade deficit between the two countries. Special emphasis was placed on improving logistics efficiency and infrastructure to reduce the cost of importing liquefied petroleum gas, agricultural commodities and industrial raw materials from the United States.
Speaking after the meeting, Seacom Group Chairman Mohammed Amirul Haque said the business leaders held a bilateral discussion with the US ambassador focusing on reducing the trade gap. He said the talks also covered options to import LPG from the United States at a lower cost, including the use of territorial facilities and improved logistics efficiency to cut overall expenses and ensure more cost-effective delivery to Bangladesh.
He said the ambassador committed to looking into the issues raised. The business leaders also highlighted visa challenges faced by Bangladeshi businesspeople, including administrative difficulties and delays, and requested the withdrawal of existing visa-related restrictions on Bangladesh.
Amirul Haque said the discussion further covered ways for US and Bangladeshi business communities to jointly access international markets by sharing knowledge and responding collectively to global economic challenges. He added that the business leaders assured the ambassador of their intention to increase imports of US agricultural products, while requesting that American goods be made more competitive compared with those from other exporting countries.
Other participants said the ambassador discussed Bangladesh’s infrastructure development, trade facilitation, increased imports of agricultural products, machinery and other goods from the US and steps to improve the overall business environment. Regulatory and compliance issues, along with the bilateral trade deficit, were also discussed.
Separately, a five-member delegation led by the US ambassador visited Chattogram Port on January 26 and paid a courtesy call on Chattogram Port Authority Chairman Rear Admiral S M Moniruzzaman, according to a press release from the port authority.
During the meeting, the port chairman welcomed US interest in establishing a cold chain industry to store imported reefer containers through Chattogram Port. Ambassador Christensen expressed satisfaction with the port’s current and planned operations and assured US cooperation to help develop the port into a more efficient, modern and world-class facility.
Members of the US delegation at the port meeting included Economic Unit Chief Michael Pennell, Commercial Counselor Paul Frost, Political Specialist Firoze Ahmed and Economic Specialist Asif Ahmed.
