<div style="text-align: justify; "><b style="font-size: 1rem;">Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday said Bangladesh wants the United States as a long-term productive partner for increasing global competitiveness, and expand the export base to become a "developing" country in 2026.</b><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“We shall need support to increase our global competitiveness and expand the export base. I am optimistic that the United States would become our long-term productive partner in this challenging venture through trade, investment, technology transfer, and by creating a smooth and predictable supply chain for mutual benefits,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The prime minister made the appeal while speaking at a business roundtable on “US-Bangladesh Economic Partnership: Shared Vision for Smart Growth” at US Chamber of Commerce here.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">US-Bangladesh Business Council organised the event with important US business leaders.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The premier is here on a six-day visit to celebrate the 50 years of the partnership between the World Bank and Bangladesh. She arrived in Washington DC on April 29.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the roundtable, Hasina also invited the US businesses to invest in Bangladesh’s many vibrant and high-potential sectors, such as renewable energy, shipbuilding, automobile, pharmaceuticals, light and heavy machineries, chemical fertilisers, ICT, marine resources, and medical equipment.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She said her government is setting up 100 ‘Special Economic Zones’ (SEZs) and 39 Hi-tech Parks in different parts of the country. With more than 600,000 free-lancing IT professionals, Bangladesh is just the right destination for IT investments. Moreover, access to young, skilled vibrant workforce at a competitive wage will continue to be an added advantage in Bangladesh, she added.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The premier repeated her offer of a dedicated ‘Special Economic Zone’ solely for the US investors in Bangladesh.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She called on the US business leaders to explore opportunities and invest in Bangladesh. “I also call on you here today to remain and be with us as partners in our journey to a developed, prosperous, and Smart Bangladesh by 2041,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sheikh Hasina said the United States is a major economic and development partner of Bangladesh. Both countries have intensive engagements in many areas, including trade and investment.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Our shared aim is to achieve mutual benefit and prosperity for our peoples. This shows in our growing bilateral trade, and people-to-people interaction.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In 2021-2022, Bangladesh exported commodities worth US$ 10.42 billion to the United States, and imported goods worth US$ 2.8 billion.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Stating that Bangladesh is a market of 170 million and its geographical location puts it in the heart of a market of 3 billion, she said, “Since connectivity brings prosperity, we promoted and established connectivity with our neighbours.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;“Bangladesh has now emerged as an ideal place for trade and investment in the region, and beyond. An example is Japan’s proposal to develop an industrial hub in Bangladesh along the coastal belt.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She mentioned that now the focus of Bangladesh is to promote economic and commercial relations with regional and global partners, including the United States.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She said the physical, legal, and financial infrastructures of Bangladesh are being improved.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“Our efforts to sustain overall growth through investments in infrastructure are visible across the country. Last year, over the large Padma River, we built with our own fund, our longest bridge, now an important feature in regional development,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She said Bangladesh has also built metro rail, and improved port infrastructure, including deep seaport. “These have heightened domestic and regional connectivity.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The PM said the climate responsible growth policy, labour reforms, and improvement in labour safety standards of Bangladesh deserve appreciation.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She said the government's efforts have led to Bangladesh making remarkable socio-economic growth over the last 14 years. “It is now universally acknowledged as a “Role Model of Socio-Economic development.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“This has also been possible due to the continuity of good governance, rule of law, and stability; investment in rural economy; empowerment of women; and ICT that led to Digital Bangladesh,” she said.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She said the government’s vision is to build a “Smart Bangladesh” by 2041. This vision is beyond becoming a high income developed country by 2041. Smart Bangladesh is about being inclusive and founded on its smart citizens, smart economy, smart government, and smart society.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Sheikh Hasina reiterated Bangladesh's most liberal investment policy status in the region. It includes foreign investment protection by law; tax holiday; remittances of royalty; unrestricted exit policy; full repatriation of dividend and capital on exit and others.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">“I assure you that we are giving topmost priority to improving our investment environment. In this regard, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority is implementing the Bangladesh Investment Climate Improvement Programme”.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">She opined that the United States can be the most robust partner of Bangladesh. It is currently the largest single country destination of exports, largest source of foreign direct investment, a long-standing development partner, and an important source of training and technology.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;“I hope that the U.S.-Bangladesh Business Council will play a significant role in advancing trade and investment cooperation between our two friendly countries.”</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the event, she inaugurated the US Bangladesh IT Connect portal (us.itconnect.gov.bd) to facilitate b2b matchmaking and to make it easier for US businesses to find their right ICT partner in Bangladesh.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">PM’s ICT&nbsp; Affairs Advisor Sajeeb Wazed and State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid also spoke at the high-level roundtable.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen, Planning Minister MA Mannan, and PM's Private Industry and Investment Affairs Adviser Salman Fazlur Rahman, Chairman of Board of Directors of U.S.-Bangladesh Business Council Board and also president of Excelerate Energy Steven Kobos, President of U.S.-Bangladesh Business Council Ambassador Atul Keshap, Global Chair Emeritus of Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Hans-Paul Bürkner, Senior Vice President of Global Public Policy and Indo-Pacific Policy Operations at Mastercard Ravi Aurora, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of bKash Kamal Quadir, President and Managing Director of Chevron Bangladesh Eric Walker and Global Head of Exploration and New Venture at ExxonMobil Dr John Ardill were present.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The Prime Minister earlier attended two separate meetings with USBBC senior executives and the President and CEO of the US Chamber and Commerce at the Briefing Centre at the US Chamber of Commerce here. UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>