Bangladesh is looking to reduce its trade deficit with Hong Kong by moving beyond its heavy reliance on ready-made garments and increasing exports of higher-value, diversified products such as fresh fruits, jute goods and leather products, Commerce Minister Khandker Abdul Muktadir said.
He made the remarks during a meeting with Sophia Chong, executive director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), on Thursday at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on the sidelines of the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) Summit.
The information was disclosed in a press release issued by Bangladesh’s Ministry of Commerce.
During the meeting, the commerce minister said bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Hong Kong stood at $415 million in the 2024-25 fiscal year. Bangladesh imported goods worth $307 million from Hong Kong, while its exports totaled $108 million.
Bangladesh’s exports to Hong Kong rose slightly to $109.51 million in the 2025-26 fiscal year.
Against this backdrop, Muktadir stressed the need to expand direct access for Bangladeshi products to the Hong Kong market in order to narrow the trade gap.
The meeting also discussed organizing business-to-business matchmaking initiatives to help premium Bangladeshi fruits—including mangoes, jackfruit and lemons—reach supermarkets and major importers in Hong Kong.
The minister also highlighted opportunities to expand the market for Bangladesh’s environmentally friendly and biodegradable jute products in Hong Kong’s green retail and design industries.
To increase the participation of Bangladeshi small and medium-sized enterprises in international trade fairs, Muktadir proposed subsidized or free exhibition booths, the introduction of electronic certificates of origin, modernization of customs procedures, and improved joint shipping and logistics arrangements.
He also expressed interest in signing a memorandum of understanding on bilateral trade and investment with Hong Kong to address challenges Bangladesh may face following its graduation from the UN’s least developed country (LDC) category.
“Bangladesh wants to use Hong Kong as a gateway to southern China and the Greater Bay Area to build new trade and investment partnerships,” the commerce minister said.
Sophia Chong welcomed Bangladesh’s proposals and stressed the importance of increasing direct interaction and experience-sharing between businesses from the two sides.
She said there was significant scope to expand cooperation in ready-made garments, textiles, leather goods and information technology.
At the end of the meeting, Muktadir invited a high-level HKTDC business delegation, led by Chong, to visit Bangladesh.
