Foreign minister Dr AK Abdul Momen today said he directed all the envoys saying abroad to intensify their efforts to promote trade of Bangladesh and investment in their respective host countries. 

"I have directed officers in the (foreign) ministry to redouble our efforts to promote Bangladesh's trade and investment," he said while speaking at Bangladesh Business Summit and Networking Luncheon organized by FBCCI at a city hotel. 

The minister said the government is working with its best possible calculations to stabilize our production ecosystems and keep trade and investment flowing. 

Refereeing to recent IMF data that shows in terms of nominal GDP, Bangladesh's economy is the 35th largest economy, Momen said this is a big achievement for us, and it shows that we are moving towards the right direction to become a trillion-dollar economy within 2035. 

"We have the potential to become an international business and manufacturing Hub and it is time we start creating narratives which would allow Bangladesh platforms to become global incubators for innovation and entrepreneurship," he said. 

The minister said Bangladesh is a "development miracle" and in terms of identity, Bangladesh is a secular, sovereign, neo-liberal state system with firm constitutional and legal mandates to uphold the cardinal principles of nationalism, socialism, democracy and secularism. 
Bangladesh is also one of the most lucrative and profitable destinations for foreign investments anywhere in the world, he added. 

"Bangladesh Government is a government of the people in spirit and actions," he added. 

He prayed for the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) for its plan to organize Bangladesh Business Summit 2023 from March 11-13 to celebrate the 50 years of the establishment of this apex trade body. 

"This is a very timely initiative in the backdrop of the Covid wave and the Russia-Ukraine war and a desperate attempt to restart the global economy and supply chain," he said. 

The minister expressed his highly optimistic that this event would help us to reach out to international business communities and uphold Bangladesh's efforts in strengthening global connections for finding win-win paradigms for the economic prospect of Bangladesh. 

"Bangladesh is doing what the Hon'ble Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina very correctly described as 'striking a balance between life & livelihood' and to make Bangladesh a Hub of connectivity, as connectivity is productivity," he said.