<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;"><b>Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday called upon the foreign businessmen and entrepreneurs to choose Bangladesh for investment and sourcing as the country has turned into the best favourable destination for it.</b></span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">"I urge the foreign businessmen to choose Bangladesh for investment and sourcing to avail the win-win situation and convenience of business as Bangladesh is the best place for it," she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">She made this call while addressing the opening ceremony of the first ever "Made in Bangladesh Week-2022" in city's Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC) as the chief guest.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) organised the weeklong event to showcase the capability of the country's apparel sector before the world.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Sheikh Hasina also urged the country's businessmen to find out their foreign partners to utilise their technology and knowledge in the local industries.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">"To welcome the foreign investment, I would urge the local businessmen to explore your foreign partners. You can utilize their technology and knowledge in our industry. Now an excellent investment environment prevails in Bangladesh. So, avail this opportunity," she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Sheikh Hasina said the policy of Bangladesh is investment-friendly. The duty-free quota-free (DFQF) access of Bangladeshi products to different foreign markets attracts world investors, she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">"I would like to urge diplomats and foreign businessmen to choose Bangladesh for the sake of their business," she said, adding that Bangladesh is one of the most favorable destinations for investment.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">The prime minister said Bangladesh is developing connectivity with South Asia and South East Asia as this region is a huge market due to its large population.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">"Bangladesh is connecting with Trans-Asian railway and Trans-Asian highway. In addition, we are also developing waterways, airways and railways communications," she said, adding it has to keep in mind that this region is a huge market.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Noting that Bangladesh is setting up 100 special economic zones in different parts of the country, she said, "We want local and foreign investment in those zones."</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Sheikh Hasina stressed the need for the development of agricultural goods processing and setting up the food processing industry in the economic zones as the demand for agro-goods and food items would never decline in local and foreign markets.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Earlier of her address, Sheikh Hasina went round different stalls at the exhibition venue.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Prime Minister's Private Industry and Investment Affairs Adviser Salman F Rahman, International Apparel Federation President Cem Atlan and BGMEA Senior Vice President SM Mannan (Kochi) also spoke.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">BGMEA President Faruque Hassan delivered the welcome address.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">BGMEA First Vice President Syed Nazrul Islam and Vice President Md. Shahidullah Azim were present on the dias.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Theme song of "Made in Bangladesh" was played and a video documentary was screened while another two audio-visuals on progress and prospect of Bangladesh's economy and women empowerment were also played at the ceremony.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">At the outset of the function, BGMEA President Faruque Hassan presented a green tree and a crest to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Four businessmen were awarded at the ceremony for their outstanding contribution to the export.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">The week-long event was opened with the theme "Care for Fashion" that will continue till 18th November.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">Promoting "Made in Bangladesh" is the main objective of the event as BGMEA wants to keep its market share and also to increase the market share of Bangladeshi apparel in the global market.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">The mega event would also create opportunities for the partners of the global value chain to work together to face the global challenges.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">At the opening ceremony, the premier also unveiled two coffee table books, on which BGMEA has been working since the beginning of this year.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">The first book titled "The Untold Stories of Bangladesh RMG Industry: Economic, Social and Environmental Good Practices" aims to highlight the positive changes that have occurred in the industry throughout the years.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">The second book is titled "Beauty of Bangladesh" through which BGMEA tried to articulate the unseen beauty of Bangladesh.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">MIB Week 2022 is not BGMEA's individual event and it is not being organised to brand BGMEA, rather the whole industry and Bangladesh. BSS</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>