Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir has expressed hope that economic cooperation between Bangladesh and Thailand will reach new heights through stronger trade and investment ties. He called on Thai investors to invest more in Bangladesh’s promising sectors.
He was speaking as chief guest at the opening of the three-day international trade exhibition “Top Thai Brands 2026” at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon hotel in the capital on Thursday.
Thailand’s Ambassador to Bangladesh Thitiporn Chirasawadi, officials of the Royal Thai Embassy, representatives of participating Thai companies, business leaders, entrepreneurs and media workers attended.
The commerce minister said relations between Bangladesh and Thailand are long-standing and based on mutual trust, respect and cooperation, expanding steadily in trade, investment, tourism, culture and regional cooperation.
Thailand is one of Bangladesh’s most important trading partners, he said, and although trade between the two countries has grown, there remains enormous scope to expand trade and investment.
Khandaker Abdul Muktadir said Bangladesh has become an attractive destination for foreign investment because of its strategic position, large consumer market, skilled workforce and investment-friendly policies. “We welcome Thai investment in various sectors including agro-processing, tourism, leather, ready-made garments, automobile components and rubber products,” he said.
Bangladesh is keen to increase exports of pharmaceuticals, processed food, environmentally friendly jute products, leather goods and light engineering products to the Thai market, he said.
An international trade exhibition is not only an opportunity to display products, the minister said, but an effective means of creating direct contact among producers, importers, exporters, distributors, investors and entrepreneurs. Events like “Top Thai Brands 2026” will create new relationships between the two countries’ businesspeople and play an important role in expanding trade, he said.
Noting that the government is working to create a business- and investment-friendly environment, he said various initiatives have been taken in trade facilitation, infrastructure development, digitalisation and increasing connectivity with international markets.
Highlighting the importance of responsible foreign investment, he said such investment will play an important role in creating jobs, increasing the use of modern technology and developing the country’s industry.
The commerce minister called on the participating Thai companies to increase contact with Bangladeshi businesspeople, importers, distributors and investors, and urged Bangladeshi businesspeople to explore new opportunities to export domestic products to the Thai market. He expressed hope that “Top Thai Brands 2026” would further strengthen trade, investment and friendly relations between Bangladesh and Thailand.
Fifty-seven Thai companies are taking part in the exhibition, organised by the Department of International Trade Promotion (DITP) under the Royal Thai government’s commerce ministry with the cooperation of the Royal Thai Embassy’s Office of Commercial Affairs in Dhaka. The three-day exhibition runs until July 25 and is open to visitors at the Pan Pacific Sonargaon daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report