The UK Bangladesh Catalysts of Commerce and Industry (UKBCCI), a prominent organisation representing British-Bangladeshi entrepreneurs, is conducting its trade mission to Bangladesh from 4 to 9 January.
During this period, the delegation is set to engage with leading trade bodies and hold discussions with key advisors to Bangladesh’s interim government, reads a press release.
The mission seeks to enhance trade and investment opportunities in the garment and manufacturing sectors, while promoting innovation and business growth.
UKBCCI has been pivotal in advancing bilateral trade between the UK and Bangladesh and has broadened its scope to include business leaders from other nations.
The 2025 mission focuses on strengthening existing partnerships and exploring new collaborations to reinforce economic ties.
Showkat Aziz Russell, regional president of UKBCCI, highlighted the mission’s focus on Bangladesh’s ready-made garment (RMG) sector, stating, “Bangladesh is globally recognised for its strong manufacturing capabilities and is a key hub for apparel sourcing. This mission seeks to capitalise on the country’s edge in global export competitiveness while fostering innovation in design and manufacturing.”
The delegation is also concentrating on the textile sector, which contributes over 13% to Bangladesh’s GDP. With investments exceeding $22 billion, the industry accounts for more than 84% of the country’s export earnings and retains over 30% of foreign currency. The mission aims to encourage further investment in this critical sector.
Led by the chairman, president, and directors of UKBCCI, the delegation includes established and emerging investors and entrepreneurs from diverse industries, such as garments, manufacturing, infrastructure, artificial intelligence, Blockchain, ICT, engineering, construction, logistics, banking, and financial services.
The mission also emphasises knowledge transfer in rapidly growing sectors like infrastructure development and social sciences.
UKBCCI Chairman Iqbal Ahmed highlighted Bangladesh’s recognition by The Economist as “Country of the Year,” citing significant progress over the past year.
“UKBCCI can take credit for our ongoing commitment to supporting investment in Bangladesh. Our recent campaign increased remittances to Bangladesh through proper channels by more than 25%. This remittance can be doubled within a few years if we add value to it through our NRB service industry,” he said.
UKBCCI’s trade mission underscores the immense potential of Bangladesh as a destination for investment and collaboration. By fostering relationships and showcasing opportunities, UKBCCI continues to drive economic growth and innovation between the two nations.