Pak commerce minister seeks enhanced trade ties with Bangladesh

Dhaka, Aug 22 (PTI) Pakistan Commerce Minister Jam Kamal Khan here on Friday called for enhanced bilateral trade and economic ties with Bangladesh.

The minister referred to joint ventures, trade facilitation, and a possible Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with Bangladesh as he met business leaders in the southeastern port city of Chattogram, according to media reports.

He said both the countries already have complementary industries in food, textiles, garments, leather and footwear.

"We don't have to do a lot of hard research work since many sectors were already aligned,” he was quoted as saying in a meeting with Bangladesh interim government's Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin.

Khan raised the possibility of drafting a PTA to grant exclusivity in certain sectors, allowing both countries to identify potential areas for mutual benefit.

The Pakistan minister’s comments came on the third day of his Bangladesh visit at the event staged by the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI).

On Thursday, the interim government of Muhammad Yunus decided to revitalise a joint economic commission and form a new trade and investment commission with Islamabad.

"We had very intensive discussions. We are working on reactivating the Joint Economic Commission (JEC) and forming a new Trade and Investment Commission," Uddin had said after their meeting in Dhaka.

Dhaka and Islamabad have looked to build closer ties with each other since the installation of the Yunus-led government last year after the ouster of then prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League.

The relations between the two countries were scarred particularly after the previous government in 2010 initiated the trial of hardened collaborators of Pakistani troops during the 1971 Liberation War.

Khan arrived on Thursday while Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar is set to arrive in Dhaka on Saturday.

Officials said the two countries were expected to sign five memorandums of understanding (MoUs) during the visit of the two Pakistani ministers.

According to media reports, bilateral trade between Pakistan and Bangladesh increased in the last year with trade volume reaching USD 865 million in fiscal year 2024-25.

Bangladesh's exports to Pakistan stood at USD 78 million, a 20 per cent increase from the previous year, while Pakistan's exports increased by 28 per cent. PTI AR GSP GSP