High Commissioner of Sri Lanka to Bangladesh Dharmapala Weerakkody accompanied by Counsellor / Commerce of the High Commission Srimali Jayarathne held a productive meeting with the newly appointed President of the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) Ashraf Ahmed on 24 March 2024 at the DCCI office in Dhaka.
During the meeting, DCCI President Ashraf Ahmed appreciated the close bilateral economic cooperation between the two countries and emphasized the importance of further expanding mutually beneficial partnership in the bilateral trade and investment sectors particularly in the areas of healthcare and hospitality. The DCCI President further highlighted the investment opportunities available for Sri Lanka in Bangladesh in the field of deep-sea fishing. The DCCI also pledged its continuous support to arrange B2Bs, seminars, and organize other related activities in order to promote bilateral economic relations between the two countries.
Joining the discussion, High Commissioner Dharmapala Weerakkody highlighted the proposed Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) to be signed between the two countries and said that fostering two-way trade and tourism sector cooperation are the key priorities of Sri Lanka in enhancing economic cooperation with Bangladesh. The High Commissioner pointed out that Sri Lankan products such as spices, virgin coconut oil, animal feed have a significant demand in the Bangladesh markets. He further mentioned that Bangladesh is a preferred destination for Sri Lankan companies to expand their businesses through direct foreign investments.
Both the High Commissioner and the DCCI President agreed to work on exchanging business delegations to further enhance bilateral economic cooperation.