A high-level bilateral meeting was held on 4 October 2026 at the BGMEA office in Uttara with the aim of further strengthening and expanding the mutual economic partnership between Bangladesh and Pakistan. During the meeting, H.E. Mr. Imran Haider, High Commissioner of Pakistan to Bangladesh, paid a courtesy visit to BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan and engaged in a cordial and productive exchange of views. The High Commissioner expressed Pakistan’s firm commitment to extending its full cooperation and partnership for the industrial and commercial development of Bangladesh as a brotherly nation.

Also present at the meeting were BGMEA Senior Vice President Inamul Haq Khan, Vice President Md. Rezwan Selim, Director Shah Rayeed Chowdhury, Director Mohammed Sohel, Chair of the BGMEA Standing Committee on Branding Khan Monirul Alam (Shubho), Secretary General Major General Dr. Md. Shahedul Islam (Retd.), and senior officials of the Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka.

During the meeting, both sides placed special emphasis on elevating bilateral trade and economic relations to a new level. They noted that despite the enormous potential for trade between the two brotherly countries, the full potential has yet to be realized, and stressed the need to maintain a balance in bilateral trade. It was noted that Bangladesh currently imports a significant volume of products from Pakistan, including raw materials required for the readymade garment industry, while exports from Bangladesh to Pakistan remain comparatively low.

To reduce this trade imbalance and enhance mutual cooperation, BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan placed particular emphasis on increasing imports of chemicals and dyes required by the apparel industry from Pakistan. At the same time, he urged the Pakistan High Commissioner to facilitate larger-scale imports from Bangladesh of world-class jute yarn and internationally standardized life-saving pharmaceuticals. The High Commissioner expressed keen interest in these proposals and assured that necessary steps would be taken to promote bilateral trade.

The meeting also emphasized the importance of exchange visits by high-level business delegations from the two countries to expand bilateral business and trade. The High Commissioner said that if a business delegation comprising exporters of readymade garments and other sectors from Bangladesh visits Pakistan, arrangements would be made for Bangladeshi entrepreneurs to hold targeted bilateral business-to-business (B2B) meetings and matchmaking sessions with leading Pakistani importers, brands, buyers and business organizations.

The meeting also included detailed discussions on market opportunities in both countries and strategic ways to enhance market access. Currently, Bangladesh, as an LDC, enjoys duty-free market access under SAFTA; however, global trade policies are expected to change following Bangladesh’s graduation from the LDC category. Against this backdrop, the two sides held preliminary discussions on how to establish an effective bilateral preferential free trade arrangement to ensure continued and protected trade flows between the two countries while addressing post-graduation challenges.

Emphasizing the modernization of the logistics sector to make commercial relations more dynamic, the BGMEA President said that transportation of goods by direct sea route currently takes considerable time and that the transit time needs to be reduced. Both sides expressed hope that logistical and shipping-related barriers could be addressed through mutual cooperation between the two countries.

The meeting also discussed the long-term development of human resources and institutional capacity in the textile, apparel and fashion sectors. The Pakistan High Commissioner said that student exchanges, experience sharing and the exchange of technical knowledge between Bangladesh University of Fashion & Technology (BUFT) and leading fashion and textile institutes in Pakistan are now the need of the hour. He also placed special emphasis on undertaking joint initiatives between the two countries to promote mutual development and excellence in textile technology.

At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides expressed strong optimism that the bilateral discussions would further strengthen the foundation of friendly relations and mutual economic cooperation between Bangladesh and Pakistan, making the partnership more meaningful and productive in the days ahead.