Bangladesh has intensified its efforts to strengthen trade and investment ties with key European partners, holding high-level meetings with representatives from Germany and Sweden in Dhaka.
Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir met separately with German Ambassador Achim Tröster and Swedish Ambassador Nicolas Weeks to explore avenues for expanding bilateral trade and investment.
During the meeting with Germany, the minister emphasized Bangladesh’s strong export relationship with the European Union and invited German investment in priority sectors such as textiles, leather, and light engineering. He also acknowledged the presence of non-tariff barriers and noted ongoing efforts to address them.
Highlighting the country’s economic priorities, the minister stressed the need to generate employment for approximately 2–2.2 million new entrants to the workforce annually. In response, Ambassador Tröster reaffirmed Germany’s commitment to enhancing trade cooperation, particularly through skills development and ensuring a competitive business environment.
In discussions with Sweden, both sides focused on deepening economic cooperation. The minister stated that measures have already been taken to ease non-tariff barriers, which could support future trade growth. Ambassador Weeks expressed Sweden’s interest in expanding engagement, especially in the telecommunications sector, leveraging Swedish expertise.Senior officials from the Ministry of Commerce also attended the meetings.
