Written by The Banking Post
A 20-member high-powered Saudi business delegation is arriving in Dhaka on Monday to attend the first-ever Saudi-Bangladesh Business Summit, marking the official launch of the Saudi Arab-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SABCCI) — the country’s first bilateral chamber with a Middle Eastern nation.
The three-day summit, to be held from October 6–8 at a hotel in Banani, aims to deepen trade, investment, and industrial cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh, said SABCCI President Ashraful Haq Chowdhury at a press conference in Dhaka on Sunday.
“This initiative marks a timely step toward building a strong economic and investment partnership between the two nations,” Ashraful said in a written statement.
He noted that Saudi Arabia offers vast potential for Bangladesh’s RMG, agriculture, IT, digital finance, and jute sectors, adding that the partnership will help diversify export markets beyond the US and Europe.
The Saudi delegation will be led by Sheikh Omar Abdul Hafiz Amir Baksh, owner of Majd Al Umran Group, which has investments in real estate and hospitality. Other members include Naji Abdullah of Al Isayi Group, Professor Mohammad Asif Salam of King Abdul Aziz University, and Dr. Khalid Al Harbi of Al Tayyebah University.
The summit will feature product showcases, B2B meetings, and a gala ceremony to formally launch SABCCI on Tuesday (October 7).
Commerce Adviser Sk. Bashir Uddin will inaugurate the summit as chief guest, with Bangladesh Bank Governor Dr. Ahsan H. Mansur attending as special guest. BNP standing committee member and former commerce minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury will chair the event.
The official launch of SABCCI will be presided over by Foreign Affairs Adviser Mohammad Towhid Hossain, while BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir will attend as special guest.
The Foreign Secretary will host a luncheon for the Saudi delegation on October 8 at the state guesthouse Padma, followed by a closing press conference at Hotel Sonargaon to outline the outcomes of the three-day summit.
