Pakistan, BD have vast potential to expand bilateral trade: HC

Bangladesh High Commissioner Md Iqbal Hussain Khan called for better air and sea links to help Pakistan and Bangladesh grow trade, which he put at about USD 1 billion. Speaking at the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he proposed direct Dhaka-Lahore flights and said stronger business connections could help the two countries move closer to their trade potential.

Khan said Bangladesh buys rice and maize from Pakistan without quantity limits and is interested in Pakistani goods beyond textiles. He also identified pineapples and jute as possible imports from Bangladesh. FCCI President Arif Ehsan Malik said Faisalabad contributes 15 to 18 percent to Pakistan’s GDP and around 15 percent of national exports, while about 65 percent of the country’s textile waste is recycled in the city. Both sides also discussed circular production and environmental standards relevant to sustaining exports to the European Union.