Online Desk  :  Bangladesh Deputy High Commissioner in Karachi SM Mahbubul Alam has announced that direct flights between Pakistan and Bangladesh will commence soon, which will significantly bolster ties between the two nations and their business communities. He also revealed that an exhibition for importers and exporters of the two countries would be organised in Hyderabad in collaboration with the Hyderabad Chamber of Small Traders and Small Industry (HCSTSI), , reports The Express Tribune.

Alam extended an invitation to the business community for participating in the Annual Trade Exhibition to be held in Dhaka in January 2025. He assured them that visa process would be streamlined to facilitate their participation. The deputy high commissioner expressed these views during a visit to the Hyderabad Chamber. He said Bangladesh’s interim Chief Adviser Dr Muhammad Yunus had emphasised the need for leveraging the potential to enhance trade with Pakistan.

He described Bangladesh as a highly attractive market and asked the HCSTSI to send a delegation to Dhaka. He committed to monitoring and expediting the visa process for traders. Alam mentioned that Bangladesh was exporting its products to 80 countries, generating billions of dollars in revenue. However, he underscored the need for further expansion through stronger trade relations with Pakistan. Speaking on the occasion, HCSTSI President Muhammad Saleem Memon remarked that Pakistan-Bangladesh relations were rooted in the shared history, culture and trade.

He highlighted the significant progress in trade ties, including the milestone achieved on November 11, when the first-ever direct cargo shipment was successfully made from Pakistan to Bangladesh. Memon urged Bangladeshi traders to actively participate in exhibitions in Pakistan while also encouraging the High Commission to facilitate Pakistani traders in attending expos in Bangladesh. Such initiatives will pave the way for greater trade collaboration. He pointed out the challenges faced by Pakistani product exporters in customs clearance at Dhaka and asked for a swift resolution of the issues.

The HCSTSI president proposed the establishment of a direct trade line to save time and rationalise product costs, adding that simplification of visa policies for its members would ensure smoother trade and dismantle barriers. He also recommended the constitution of a liaison committee to streamline the processes further.