The Export Promotion Bureau of Bangladesh (EPB) and the Trade and Investment agency of Portugal-AICEP (Agência para o Investimento e ComércioExternoof Portugal) virtually signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Trade and Investment cooperation on Thursday.
The signing took place at a simple ceremony held simultaneously at the two institutions, the EPB Vice Chairman AHM Ahsan in Dhaka and Chairman & CEO of AICEP, Luís Castro Henriques in Lisbon signed the Memorandum of Understandingon behalf of their respective institutions.
On the Lisbon side of the ceremony, Bangladesh Ambassador to Portugal Tarik Ahsan; Manuel António Gaeiras, Director of External Relations & Foreign Markets; Maria José Alvarenga, Deputy Director of External Relations & Foreign Markets; Daniel Pontes, Market Manager of External Relations & Foreign Markets; and First Secretary of Bangladesh Embassy Alamgeer Hossain were also present.
On the Dhaka side, Director General of Export Promotion Bureau Mahbubur Rahman;Director General of the West Europe & EU wing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh Kazi Russel Pervez, Kumkum Sultana, Director (Policy & Planning); Mohammed Shahjalal, Director (Commodities); Mahmudul Hasan, Director (Textile); Abu Mukhles Alamgir Hossain, Director (Fair and Display) andattended the virtual signing ceremony.
This cooperation MoU will focus on strengthening economic relations between the two countries by promoting trade and industry as well as by bringing together business leaders from all sectors of economy of the two friendly countries.
Through this cooperation MoU, both AICEP and EPB aims to collaborate on developing direct business relations between their respective business communities of the two nations.
The Chairman & CEO of AICEP Luís Castro Henriques in his welcome remarks, expressed his pleasure at the successful completion of the signing ceremony.
He hoped that both the organizations of the two friendly countrieswould work closely for furtheringbusiness cooperation. He mentioned that the BangladeshMentioning this as only a beginning, he said that his institution is ready to explore areas of cooperation under this framework
The Vice Chairman of Export Promotion Bureau of Bangladesh AHM Ahsan expressed his satisfaction at signing of this cooperation agreement with the apex organization of Portugal for trade and investment cooperation.
He remarked that this is first time in history of Bangladesh-Portugal bilateral relations a cooperation MoU regarding business cooperation has been signed.
He hoped that, by signing this Memorandum of Understanding, business communities from both countries will get the opportunity to work closely which certainly in turn boost the bilateral trade and investment of the two nations. Both the institutions will benefit from proper implementation of the protocol, he opined.
Ambassador Tarik Ahsan, in his remarks, congratulated both Export Promotion Bureau of Bangladesh and Agência para o Investimento e ComércioExterno de Portugal on this momentous decision to tie up for a partnership.
