Malaysian entrepreneurs eye Bangladesh’s ICT investment opportunities.
Malaysian entrepreneurs have expressed interest in investing in Bangladesh’s information and communication technology (ICT) sector, provided necessary facilities and a conducive investment environment are ensured.
The interest was expressed at a business discussion titled “Bangladesh Business Forum: Connecting Businesses, Forging Partnership and Expanding Opportunities”, organised by the Klang Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KCCCI) at its auditorium in Malaysia today, said a press release here.
A 39-member business delegation led by Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) President Taskeen Ahmed participated in the forum. Chairman of SME Corp Malaysia Teng Chang Khim attended the event as the special guest.
In his welcome remarks, KCCCI President Jeffery Tan said Klang, home to one of Malaysia’s largest seaports, offers modern logistics facilities essential for business and trade.
He suggested that Bangladeshi entrepreneurs could explore investment opportunities in Klang, while Malaysian entrepreneurs could consider investing in Bangladesh’s ICT sector as Malaysia is shifting from labour-intensive industries towards technology-driven industries.
DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed said Bangladesh and Malaysia enjoy longstanding friendly economic relations, but stronger cooperation between the private sectors of the two countries is needed to further expand bilateral trade and investment.
He said Bangladesh offers promising investment opportunities for Malaysian entrepreneurs in energy infrastructure, digital financial services, telecommunications, semiconductors, halal food, healthcare, tourism and human resource development.
He also sought Malaysian cooperation in increasing exports of Bangladeshi products to ASEAN countries.
Taskeen said Bangladesh’s healthcare sector also offers significant opportunities for Malaysian investors, noting that Bangladeshis spend around US$4-6 billion annually abroad for medical treatment. He invited Malaysian healthcare entrepreneurs to establish world-class hospitals and healthcare facilities in Bangladesh.
He also called for greater Malaysian cooperation in developing Bangladesh’s tourism industry and promoting the growth of the halal economy.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to Malaysia Manjurul Karim Khan Chowdhury said Bangladesh is not only a major source of manpower but also an emerging investment destination with opportunities in various sectors.
He identified the absence of a bilateral trade agreement as one of the major impediments to expanding trade and business between Bangladesh and Malaysia.
Referring to recent discussions between the prime ministers of the two countries, he expressed hope that a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Bangladesh and Malaysia would be signed by December 2027, saying such an agreement would contribute to expanding bilateral trade, business and investment.
He invited Malaysian entrepreneurs to invest in Bangladesh’s aviation, medical services, ICT and agro-processing sectors.
The High Commissioner also highlighted Bangladesh’s large market for Malaysian halal products and sought Malaysia’s expertise in developing an effective halal ecosystem in Bangladesh.
He further sought Malaysian cooperation in developing skilled human resources for Bangladesh’s semiconductor sector through training and capacity-building programmes.
Speaking as the special guest, SME Corporation Malaysia Chairman Teng Chang Khim said Malaysia currently has around 1.3 million SMEs.
He urged the DCCI and KCCCI to strengthen cooperation between SMEs of the two countries through greater interaction, business networking and expanded commercial opportunities.
He also highlighted the contribution of Bangladeshi workers to Malaysia’s economy, particularly in infrastructure development, and expressed hope that the existing positive people-to-people relations would further contribute to expanding trade, business and investment ties.
DCCI Senior Vice President Razeev H Chowdhury made a presentation on Bangladesh’s trade and investment opportunities. He emphasised expediting initiatives for signing an FTA, strengthening the halal economic partnership between the two countries and providing technical assistance to Bangladeshi SMEs to expand exports and establish links with global entrepreneurs.
As part of efforts to strengthen bilateral trade and investment cooperation, the DCCI and KCCCI signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the event.
DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed and KCCCI President Jeffery Tan signed the MoU on behalf of their respective organisations.
The forum also featured 40 B2B matchmaking sessions between members of the DCCI delegation and representatives of the Klang Chamber.
Later, DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed paid a courtesy call on Malaysian Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture Tiong King Sing.
DCCI Senior Vice President Razeev H Chowdhury, Vice President Md. Salem Sulaiman and Bangladesh’s Minister and Deputy High Commissioner to Malaysia Mosammat Shahanara Monica were also present.
During the meeting, Tiong King Sing said the number of Bangladeshi tourists travelling to Malaysia has been increasing every year.
He said Malaysia is placing emphasis on promoting Muslim tourism and expressed hope that the number of Bangladeshi tourists would increase further, given Bangladesh’s large Muslim population.
The Malaysian minister also expressed his country’s interest in providing training to develop skilled human resources and strengthen management capacity for establishing an effective Muslim tourism ecosystem in Bangladesh.
He said the Malaysian government is also considering establishing advanced hospitals and medical centres in Bangladesh to provide world-class healthcare services.
He proposed signing a MoU between Islamic Tourism Centre (ITC) Malaysia and DCCI to promote the tourism industries of the two countries and strengthen mutual cooperation.
