Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma has said the new Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (Cepa) to be negotiated between India and Bangladesh would create a new framework for enhanced bilateral trade and investment links after Bangladesh's economic graduation in 2026.
The High Commission of India in Dhaka and the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) organized the seminar "Improved Connectivity: Unlocking Economic Potential between India and Bangladesh" Thursday in Dhaka.
Pranay Verma and DCCI President Barrister Sameer Sattar jointly hosted the program.
Verma described connectivity as being central to economic, cultural and people-to-people connection and highlighted the recent initiatives to forge closer connectivity links between Bangladesh and India, including physical, energy and digital connectivity.
He noted that with contiguous geography and shared history, connectivity is a natural manifestation and a driver of "our growing partnership."
The Indian envoy also emphasized the potential of multimodal connectivity using the road, railways, inland waterways, and coastal shipping routes to boost Bangladesh-India trade.
He also emphasized border haats along the India-Bangladesh border as a priority area of economic engagement.
Mashiur Rahman, prime minister's economic affairs adviser, said Bangladesh is a business-friendly destination and invited Indian companies to invest here.