H.E. Sheikh Bilal Khan, the Director General and CEO of International Islamic Food Processing Association (“IFPA”) held a meeting with the President of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce & Industries (“FBCCI”), Md. Jashim Uddin. Both organisations also had other senior personnel in attendance including the IFPA Business Development Department and the Senior Executive of FBCCI, Ms. Nazia Hasan Khondaker.
FBCCI was established in 1973 and brings together about 80 Chambers of Commerce and 400 Trade Associations. Currently, it is the major trade organization of Bangladesh that represents the interest of private entrepreneurs. The key objectives of the FBCCI are to aid and stimulate investment, development of trade, commerce, industry, agriculture, and other priority sectors of the economy; promote the common interest of its membership through dealings with the Government and other regulatory bodies; and provide consultative and advisory services in the formulation of commercial, industrial and fiscal policies at the national level.
The parties discussed opportunities for business cooperation between IFPA and FBCCI as well as at country level between Bangladesh and the OIC countries in the CIS region in agri-food trade and investment through the platform of IFPA. The President of FBCCI, Md. Jashim Uddin mentioned that “such meetings help to identify bilateral partnership opportunities through trade exports and investments to diversify the portfolio of assets suitable for Bangladeshi and OIC markets. I welcome this important initiative for FBCCI to become an Honorary Member and to join personally the Advisory Board of IFPA. We are very keen to introduce IFPA to key agri-food exporters and enterprises of Bangladesh to become Corporate Members as well as join upcoming and future business delegations to Halal Expo, Dubai Expo and other main international events of intra-OIC countries.”
The Director General and CEO of IFPA, H.E Sheikh Bilal Khan, remarked: “this is an important initiative for collaboration on activities and projects in supporting agri-food trade and investors via the FBCCI for the Bangladesh market which has a potentially huge pipeline of agri-exporters and investment projects. The joint efforts of IFPA and the FBCCI will promote all relevant agri-food projects of Bangladesh to the OIC member states and foster profitability of enterprises as well as expansion of cooperation between businesses and food companies of intra-OIC countries. We are looking forward to working closely with FBCCI as a valuable Honorary Member and warmly welcome Bangladeshi food exporters and businesses to join our platform as Corporate Members. Over the last two decades Bangladesh has made giant strides and remarkably placed itself on the global map for business, entrepreneurship and highly-talented human capital. The contribution to GDP from agriculture is rapidly increasing and there is truly immense potential. We discussed many issues of mutual interest and agreed to execute our joint initiatives in the very near future.”