DHAKA, July 25, 2022 (BSS) - A two-day D-8 CCI Business Forum and Expo 2022 will be held in the capital on July 26-27 to commemorate the silver jubilee anniversary of the establishment.
The announcement was made at a press conference held in a city hotel today where Sheikh Fazle Fahim, President, D-8 CCI, along with Ashraful Haq Chowdhury, Secretary General of D-8 CCI and Sujib Ranjan Dash, Director of FBCCI were present.

They discussed the programme agenda and expectations from the upcoming event to be held at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka, said a press release.

This year’s D-8 CCI Business Forum and Expo 2022, to be organized by D-8 Chamber of Commerce & Industries (D-8 CCI), will explore the possibilities around building Value Chain Integration between Bangladesh and the seven other member countries of the D-8 - Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey.
 
The six broad areas of the value chain to be discussed are commodities such as mineral and energy; labor-intensive goods such as textiles, apparel, light engineering and leather products; labor-intensive services such as transportation, agriculture hospitality, healthcare, human resource development; regional processing such as agriculture, aquaculture, livestock; knowledge-intensive goods such as electronical components, semiconductors, cyber security equipment & components, logistics and transportation equipment; and knowledge-intensive services such as professional services in ICT, enabling technology across economic sectors, 4IR, robotics, AI, IOT, cyber securities, skills and R&D.
   
As a response to economic uncertainties and risks arising from the fallout of the covid-19 pandemic and key global developments, the D-8 CCI is working on a strategic roadmap, for PTA ratification and engagement in value chain integration across the agriculture, manufacturing, tertiary and quaternary sectors.
 
The roadmap and its strategies will be discussed during the General Assembly on Day 1 of the event and thus be presented to the ministerial on Day 2, subsequently being proposed to the trade and commerce ministries from respective countries, after the event.

The two-day D-8 CCI Business Forum and Expo, 2022 will be attended by the Presidents of Chambers of Commerce and Heads of Delegation and representatives from Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Malaysia, Nigeria, Pakistan and Turkey along with other dignitaries and business leaders from the member countries. 

Dr AK Abdul Momen, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Chair, D-8 Ministerial, will grace the event as the chief guest. Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, Prime Minister’s Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman F Rahman, State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam and Ambassador Isiaka Abdulqadir Imam, Secretary General of the D-8, will also be present at the event as guests of honor.

Additionally, over 40 delegates from the eight D-8 member countries are expected to be present. Local Bangladeshi companies will also be present with Build in Bangladesh pavilions at the expo zone for the visitors to visit.

Speaking about the upcoming event, Sheikh Fazle Fahim, President, D-8 CCI said, “The D-8 CCI Business Forum & Expo 2022, Dhaka will focus on the theme of Value Chain Integration amongst the apex bodies of business and trade from the D-8 member countries.”
He said the global Covid-19 pandemic, and recent global economic developments, have afflicted Bangladesh with inflationary pressures, supply chain disruption, and stagflation; thus, the time is ripe to explore Value Chain Integration across the D-8 nations for trade, investment and economic sustainability. 

On the 25th anniversary of the D-8, Fahim expressed the hope that D-8 CCI Business Forum & Expo 2022 will create new possibilities to build trade relations and create new business opportunities amongst the D-8 member nations.
 
“Through this collaborative platform, we hope to open up pathways that enable the honorable D-8 member nations to grow their respective economies in a collaborative manner,” he added.