Bangladesh-Vietnam Business Forum unlocks new horizons for trade tie-up

A high-level Bangladesh business delegation recently visited Vietnam, opening new avenues for bilateral trade, investment, industrial cooperation and workforce mobility.

The visit, marked by extensive business-to-business (B2B) networking, factory inspections and strategic discussions, is expected to strengthen economic ties between the two rapidly growing Asian economies.

The delegation participated in a programme organised by the Bangladesh-Vietnam Business Forum under the theme 'Leveraging Potential and Trust for Mutual Success'. The event brought together approximately 160 leading Vietnamese business conglomerates representing manufacturing, agriculture, construction, food processing, technology, real estate and international trade.

The forum was addressed by Bangladesh Ambassador to Vietnam Md Lutfor Rahman who highlighted the expanding economic relationship between the two nations and encouraged greater investment and commercial collaboration.

The interactive session was moderated by Shabab Bin Ahmed, minister, Bangladesh Embassy in Vietnam, while Syed Mustafizur Rahman, president of the Bangladesh Vietnam Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BVCCI), coordinated the entire business programme.

The Bangladesh delegation, among others, included Muhammad Anwar Hossain, founder and CEO of Neogen Consultancy and an international business consultant; Brig Gen (retd) Md Manzur Qader, chairman of Integrated Business Initiative Ltd; Mrinal Modak, CEO of Unireach; Mahbubur Rahman, head of Business Development, Tex Village; Sharif Hossain Khan, Munim Khan Majlish; Nazrul Islam of Runner Group; Kamrul Hasan Khan, regional head of Corporate Banking, BRAC Bank; Jamey Ma, sales director, APAC; Chew Poh Guan, director and partner of Dignify Development Pty Ltd; Debashish Kumar Saha, CEO of Transformtrade Ltd; Abul Kalam Azad, chairman of One Track Link; and Brig Gen (retd) Prof Dr Ashfaquzzaman Chowdhury.

Participants at the business conference of Bangladesh-Vietnam Business Forum at Hanoi. Photo: ATT

Following keynotes delivered by the ambassadors of Bangladesh and Vietnam, alongside senior officials from Vietnam's Ministry of Industry and Trade and representatives of the Vietnam Business Society in Bangladesh, participants engaged in extensive B2B networking sessions, exchanging ideas, exploring commercial opportunities and discussing sector-specific investment prospects through one-to-one meetings.

A significant highlight of the visit was the media engagement of Anwar, who was interviewed by Vietnam's state television. He expressed optimism regarding Bangladesh's evolving investment climate, invited Vietnamese investors to explore emerging business opportunities in Bangladesh, and emphasised the importance of stronger economic cooperation, mutual trust and sustained engagement between the business communities of both countries.

One of the most notable achievements of the business mission was the signing of a five-year strategic manpower cooperation agreement between Neogen Consultancy and HUD1 Investment and Construction Joint Stock Company of Vietnam. The agreement designates Neogen Consultancy as an official international recruitment partner for the Vietnamese company, creating new employment opportunities for skilled Bangladeshi construction workers.

The agreement was signed by Anwar on behalf of Neogen Consultancy and Duong Tat Khiem on behalf of HUD1 Investment and Construction Joint Stock Company at the company's headquarters following an official luncheon hosted by the company's chairman. Anwar expressed sincere appreciation to Thuy Mai and Trong Do for their invaluable support and professional facilitation in successfully concluding the partnership.

The delegation also conducted industrial visits to several renowned Vietnamese companies, including Halalviet and Vimac, where members observed production processes, quality assurance systems and export operations. The visits were coordinated by Pham Mai Lan and Thu, who arranged logistics, transportation and hospitality for the delegation.

During a subsequent visit to Halalviet's production facilities, Anwar also shared his perspectives with Vietnam Army Television, emphasising the growing prospects for economic cooperation, agricultural trade and industrial collaboration between Bangladesh and Vietnam.

Throughout the visit, Anwar actively expanded his professional network by engaging with numerous Vietnamese enterprises, including Dai Viet Soul and Herbs Company Limited, Kagura, Halalviet, Global Green House Cooperative, Truong Son, Hoan Hao Imex Company Limited, Thanhbinh SMD, Son Ha International Co Ltd, Kite Joint Stock Company, CEN Group, Global Advanced Agricultural Import Export Co Ltd and Thaco Industries, to discuss prospective partnerships and future business cooperation.

Beyond business engagements, members of the Bangladesh delegation observed several aspects of Vietnam's socio-economic development that could serve as valuable learning experiences, including its pace of industrialisation, strong national cohesion, expanding role of women in the workforce, technology-driven governance, efficient public services, investor-friendly business environment, affordable cost of living, high food quality standards and tourism-friendly infrastructure.

The delegation expressed the view that enhanced cooperation between the two countries could contribute significantly to regional economic integration, industrial diversification, human resource development and sustainable trade growth.

The successful completion of the forum and associated B2B engagements marks another important milestone in the evolving bilateral relationship between the two countries. With new commercial partnerships, workforce agreements and expanding institutional cooperation, the visit is expected to generate long-term economic benefits while strengthening people-to-people connections and fostering mutual prosperity.