DCCI for direct shipping services with Iran

Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) has urged for exploring the potential of direct shipping services between the Chittagong Port or the Mongla Port and Iran’s Chabahar Port.

DCCI President Rizwan Rahman made the call at an interactive bilateral meeting with the Ambassador of Iran to Bangladesh Mansour Chavoshi at the DCCI Gulshan Centre in Dhaka on Tuesday.

The DCCI president said, “Bangladesh and Iran are members of Developing-8 (D-8). Both countries can prioritise increasing intra-D-8 trade and promote stronger cooperation to implement the Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) among the member countries of the D-8 encompassing trade, industry, agriculture, technology, science, communications and aviation.”

During the meeting, he informed that the bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Iran was $18.74 million in FY 2020-21.

He also suggested forming a joint business forum engaging leading chambers of Bangladesh and Iran to facilitate bilateral commercial partnerships and ensure greater engagement of the private sector.

He requested Iran’s importers to import RMG, jute and jute goods, light engineering products, leather goods, tea, pharmaceuticals, ceramics, agro-processed food, electronics goods etc. from Bangladesh.

He later stressed organising sector-specific dialogues, B2B meetings and exchanging delegations for trade development.

At the meeting, Mansour Chavoshi said that the exchange of sector-specific business people between Bangladesh and Iran will facilitate interaction and know-how among the private sector of both countries.

“The bilateral trade volume is not satisfactory but there is a huge scope to enhance the trade through different potential sectors such as the agriculture sector,” he said adding that chamber-to-chamber relation is more important for the sake of boosting trade.

“When we will have more transactions in terms of trade and commerce in future, then a joint business council may be established,” he proposed.

DCCI Vice President Monowar Hossain was also present in the meeting.