Bangladesh seeks Pakistani coal, limestone to meet industrial demand in trade talks

In a bid to meet its growing industrial and energy demands, Bangladesh is seeking closer trade cooperation with Pakistan, particularly in securing raw materials such as coal and limestone.

The development came during a meeting between Federal Minister for Commerce Jam Kamal Khan and Bangladesh’s High Commissioner to Pakistan, Iqbal Hussain Khan, where both sides explored deeper bilateral cooperation in trade, energy, logistics, and industrial linkages, read a statement released by the Ministry of Commerce.

During the meeting, High Commissioner Khan shared insights from his recent visits to Pakistan’s industrial hubs, noting enthusiastic engagement from local business chambers.

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The discussions focused on Bangladesh’s growing industrial needs, particularly for Pakistani coal and limestone to support its power generation and soda ash production.

Key points of discussion included boosting agricultural trade, particularly Pakistan’s imports of pineapples from Bangladesh and potential exports of mangos, pending final technical approvals.

Moreover, the discussions also covered opportunities in textiles, mineral exports like high-quality limestone from Sindh, and Halal-certified meat products, with both sides committing to address logistical challenges and streamline business visa processes to facilitate smoother trade exchanges.

The federal minister emphasised the strategic potential of the relationship, stating: “Through focused collaboration in energy, logistics and food security, Pakistan and Bangladesh can develop a transformative economic partnership that benefits our entire region.”

The meeting concluded with commitments to establish sector-specific business linkages and streamline trade mechanisms in the coming months.