Showing an encouraging sign in the export landscape, Bangladesh is increasingly making inroads in the Canadian market with non-conventional products during the last one-decade conveying a true success tale of the Delta so eloquently to the business folks in Toronto.
Rocco Rossi, President & CEO of Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) came up with the remarks during the 'Bangladesh-Canada Business Forum-2019' in Toronto, ended on Tuesday.
The Consulate General of Bangladesh in Toronto in collaboration with the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) organised 'Bangladesh-Canada Business Forum-2019' in Toronto.
Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi MP attended the forum, the first ever Business Forum since the establishment of diplomatic relations with Canada along with a 19-member Bangladesh Business delegation.
While addressing the session, the commerce minister Tipu Munshi said that under the visionary leadership of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the country is on the verge of attaining double digit growth.
"The essence of this Forum is to build business links, so that entrepreneurs and businessmen from both the business hubs can partner and work in-tandem to enhance trade and investment. The first ever Business Forum is a steppingstone to a new height in business relations with Canada," he said.
Expecting that the flow of such Business Forum with other provinces of Canada would continue, Tipu Munshi vowed to stand by each other to forge mutually beneficial collaboration and investment.
The two day Business Forum summarized that looking at the pattern and needs across the two economies and the global supply chains, high-value apparels, light engineering, pharma and biologics, digital services, industrial use of jute fiber and marine fishing should merit attention to both the businessmen and entrepreneurs.
President & CEO of OCC, Rocco Rossy presented a thematic paper in a session on "How Bangladesh enhances Business and Investment with Canada" while Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade of Ontario Victor Fedeli attended the forum as the guests of honour. Stressing a deeper engagement with Bangladesh, the Ontario Trade Minister said that the priority of Ontario province is to generate mass employment for which it has opened its economy to foreign entrepreneurs where Bangladesh can mark its strong foothold.
The Business Forum marked signing of an MoU between the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC), which is also for the first time in the history of diplomatic relations with Canada.
Sheikh Fazle Fahim, President of FBCCI and Rocco Rossi, President of OCC signed the MOU on behalf of respective Chambers.
In his welcome remarks, Consul General of Bangladesh in Toronto Nayem Uddin Ahmed said that based on the directives of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina, within the five months of opening the Bangladesh Consulate General in Toronto has seized an opportunity to advance economic diplomacy. In the welcome remarks, OCC President, Rocco Rossi thanked the business leaders from both Bangladesh and Canada for their spontaneous participation in the Forum. He noted that Canada and Bangladesh have lots to offer each other as both the countries are gaining importance as each other's trade and investment partner.
Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan, Chairman NBR, Paban Chowdhury, Executive Chairman, BEZA, Corinne Petrisor, Counsellor of Canadian High Commission in Dhaka, Abdul Malik, Director of Steel Canada Limited and Louie DiPalma, Vice President of Ontario Chamber of Commerce, were present at the Forum as distinguished panelists.