Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Dato’ Dzulkifli Mahmud has expressed the hope that the bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Malaysia would increase by five per cent in the second quarter of the current fiscal year. “Bilateral trade will increase by five percent (in the second half of the year). This is my expectation,” he told a press conference in Kuala Lumpur recently. Bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Malaysia, which fell 26.4 per cent as of May this year, is expected to improve in the second half, amid a better economic environment, said the CEO, according to UNB. From January to May 2015, bilateral trade declined to US$412 million from US$560 million during the same period of last year. A seminar on ‘Business and Investment opportunities in Bangladesh’ was also held at Menara MATRADE, Kuala Lumpur recently, said a news release of Bangladesh Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BMCCI) on Wednesday. Malaysia External Trade Development Corporation (MATRADE) and Bangladesh-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BMCCI) jointly arranged the seminar with the support from Malaysia South-South Association (MASSA), Board of Investment (BOI), Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA), Infrastructure Investment Facilitation Centre (IIFC), the government of Bangladesh, ROBI AXIATA LTD, High Commission of Malaysia in Bangladesh and High Commission of Bangladesh in Malaysia. The objective of the seminar was to update Malaysian companies on the business and investment opportunities in Bangladesh. In addition to that, this seminar also promoted ‘Showcase Malaysia 2015’, as a platform for the Malaysian companies to leverage, in expanding awareness on Malaysia products and services in Bangladesh to be held from October 15-17 in Dhaka. Former BMCCI President and Chairman, Organizing Committee of Showcase Malaysia 2015 Syed Moazzam Hossain led a two-member delegation team accompanied by M Mamunur Rahman, CEO of EXPOPRO and Nazrul Islam of IIFC and presented different papers on the business and investment opportunities in Bangladesh. Among others, High Commissioner of Bangladesh to Malaysia M Shahidul Islam and the Chief Executive Officer of MATRADE Datuk Dzulkifli Mahmud were also present in the press conference. Dzulkifli Mahmud said MATRADE was encouraging Malaysian companies to export goods other than commodities, such as services to Bangladesh. He also said that traders should not depend on the depreciating ringgit to boost exports, but enhance competitiveness and innovate in respect of products. Meanwhile, he said the seminar was a good opportunity for Malaysian entrepreneurs to expand and establish their business in Bangladesh with its population of more than 156 million.
