Dhaka, Bangladesh – The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s U.S.-Bangladesh Business Council (USBBC) led its third annual Executive Business Delegation to Dhaka, Bangladesh, for high-level dialogues with the Honorable Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina, as well as senior members of the Bangladesh government and the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka. Discussions focused on expanding the bilateral commercial, trade, and investment relationship.
Prime Minister Hasina said, “The United States has been a major economic and development partner of Bangladesh for decades… The United States is currently the largest single-country destination of our exports, the biggest source of foreign direct investment, and an important source of knowledge and technology.”
Prime Minister Hasina noted USBBC’s significant role in advancing U.S.-Bangladesh trade and investment and called on the Council and business representatives to explore further opportunities for partnership. The Executive Business Delegation was led by Steven Kobos, President and CEO, Excelerate Energy and Chair of the Council, and Ambassador Atul Keshap, President, U.S.-Bangladesh Business Council and Senior Vice President, South Asia, U.S. Chamber of Commerce. They were joined by over 40 U.S. business leaders from across sectors including energy, digital economy, financial services, aerospace, healthcare, agriculture, and transportation. The delegation was supported by Corporate Partners Visa, Meta, and Mastercard.
Prime Minister Hasina also praised the launch of the Council’s Food, Water and Nutrition Taskforce which will support private sector partnerships toward food security efforts in Bangladesh, enhancing the Council’s existing work to deepen energy ties through its Energy Taskforce, and strengthening the Council’s collaboration on artificial intelligence, digital payments and communication technologies through its Digital Economy Taskforce.
Steven Kobos, Chair of the Council and Mission Lead, said “the U.S. business community is a strong partner to the people of Bangladesh and our member companies consistently demonstrate the best of American ingenuity through innovative, responsible, and sustainable investment in-country. I thank the Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her senior advisors and ministers for hosting robust discussions with our executive delegation.”
Ambassador Atul Keshap, President of the U.S.-Bangladesh Business Council and Senior Vice President for South Asia at the U.S. Chamber, added, “Bangladesh is a nation with a mighty track record of important accomplishments and a bright future of growth and prosperity ahead. Our delegation’s visit at this moment of geopolitical and geoeconomic instability testifies not only to the rise of Bangladesh as a responsible and prospering nation, but also to the innate talent and resiliency of the Bangladeshi people. Our delegation's size reflects the dedication the American private sector has for broad-based and inclusive prosperity for all the citizens of this great country. We at USBBC are committed to our long-term mission of being a driving force for upgrading our bilateral economic relationship. Additionally, we extend our heartfelt wishes for a swift and successful recovery from Cyclone Remal and offer our steadfast support and solidarity."
The delegation also engaged with a variety of stakeholders including the Hon. Private Sector & Investment Advisor to the Prime Minister Salman F. Rahman, Hon. Energy Advisor to the Prime Minister Dr. Tawfiq-E-Elahi Chowdhury, Hon. Minister of Finance Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali, Hon. State Minister of Commerce Ahsanul Islam Titu, Hon. State Minister of Finance Waseqa Ayesha Khan, Foreign Secretary Ambassador Masud Bin Momen, Bangladesh Bank Governor Abdur Rouf Talukder, and other senior officials. The delegation also met with U.S. Ambassador Peter D. Haas, senior U.S. Embassy and USAID/Bangladesh officials, and were hosted by bKash Founder & CEO Kamal Quadir for a dialogue on financial inclusion and technology in Bangladesh.
The U.S. Chamber’s meeting with Prime Minister Hasina is part of its important work representing and advocating for U.S. business interests at home and abroad. Each year, the U.S. Chamber hosts dozens of heads of state and over 500 other senior officials from around the world at its headquarters. Last year, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce led business delegations to 37 foreign capitals across every continent except Antarctica, providing access and insights for businesses expanding into new markets. The Chamber also represents the American business community at multilateral gatherings, including the Munich Security Conference, the UN General Assembly, APEC, and COP28.
