FBCCI Seeks Chinese Investment to Narrow Bangladesh $20 Billion Trade Gap

Dhaka, August 17, 2026 — The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) has called for greater business-to-business engagement and joint investment with China to help narrow Bangladesh's large trade deficit with the country. The call came at a meeting between the FBCCI and a business delegation from the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) at the FBCCI office in Motijheel on Monday.

📊 The Trade Deficit Reality

FBCCI Administrator Md Fazlul Hoque highlighted the stark trade imbalance during the meeting:

• 💰 $20 billion bilateral trade — total annual trade between Bangladesh and China
• 📉 Below $1 billion exports — Bangladesh's annual exports to China
• 📈 $19+ billion deficit — Bangladesh imports far more from China than it exports
• 🚧 Heavily in deficit — Bangladesh remains heavily in deficit in bilateral trade

Fazlul Hoque urged businesses from both countries to explore joint ventures and opportunities to boost Bangladeshi exports to the Chinese market — noting that the current trade structure is unsustainable for Bangladesh's long-term economic health.

🤝 Sectors Identified for Joint Investment

Bangladeshi business leaders invited Chinese entrepreneurs to invest jointly in several priority sectors:

• 🍚 Food processing — leveraging Bangladesh's agricultural base for value-added exports
• 🩺 Medical devices and accessories — growing global demand for affordable medical equipment
• 💊 Pharmaceuticals and API — active pharmaceutical ingredients for generic drug manufacturing
• ☀️ Renewable energy — solar, wind, and green energy infrastructure
• 🧵 Jute and jute-based products — sustainable, biodegradable alternatives to plastic

The sector selection is strategic — each area aligns with Bangladesh's export diversification priorities and China's manufacturing expertise. Joint ventures in these sectors could help Bangladesh develop higher-value manufacturing capacity while giving Chinese companies a production base in South Asia.

🌐 CCPIT Delegation: Honghe Region Interest

He Tao, Director of the Bureau of Commerce of China's Honghe region, expressed interest in expanding bilateral trade and investment. “One of our key objectives is to make the import-export process between the two countries easier and unlock new opportunities in trade and business,” he said.

The CCPIT delegation's visit signals continued Chinese commercial interest in Bangladesh — following earlier high-level engagements including Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's anticipated China visit and reports that 11 Chinese firms are willing to invest $9.21 billion in Bangladesh.

💼 Meeting Attendees

The meeting was attended by senior FBCCI leaders and chamber representatives:

• 👥 Md Fazlul Hoque — FBCCI Administrator (led the Bangladesh side)
• 👥 Abdul Haque — former FBCCI Director
• 👥 Priti Chakraborty — former FBCCI Director
• 👥 Obaidur Rahman — former FBCCI Director
• 👥 Md Alamgir — FBCCI Secretary General
• 👥 Brig Gen (retd) Abu Naim Md Shahidullah — FBCCI Safety Council Adviser
• 👥 Members of FBCCI General Council — and leaders of various chambers and associations
• 👥 CCPIT delegation members — led by He Tao

Fazlul Hoque assured the delegation that the FBCCI would provide necessary support to Chinese businesses seeking to invest and operate in Bangladesh — signalling the apex trade body's commitment to facilitating bilateral investment flows.

💰 Why Narrowing the Trade Gap Matters

The $19+ billion trade deficit with China has significant implications for Bangladesh's economy:

• 💵 Forex pressure — large import bills from China strain forex reserves
• 📉 Taka depreciation — trade deficit contributes to currency pressure
• 🏭 Industrial input dependence — RMG sector relies heavily on Chinese fabric and accessories
• 🚧 Export diversification imperative — Bangladesh needs to export more to China
• 🤝 Joint venture opportunity — Chinese investment in Bangladesh could reduce import dependence

By attracting Chinese joint ventures in food processing, pharmaceuticals, and jute products, Bangladesh could begin exporting finished goods to China — rather than just raw materials. This would shift the trade relationship from a one-way import channel to a more balanced two-way commercial partnership.

🌐 Strategic Context: China-Bangladesh Economic Relations

The FBCCI-CCPIT meeting comes amid a broader intensification of Bangladesh-China economic engagement:

• 🇨🇳 11 Chinese firms — willing to invest $9.21 billion in Bangladesh
• 🌐 PM Tarique Rahman's China visit — anticipated, with investment and political ties as priority
• 🇧🇩 Bangladesh-China CEPA discussions — potential comprehensive economic partnership
• 🚢 Belt and Road Initiative — Bangladesh is a BRI partner country
• 🏭 Chinese EPZ presence — 9 Chinese/Hong Kong enterprises at Adamjee EPZ alone

For Bangladesh's export economy, the China relationship is both a challenge and an opportunity. The trade deficit reflects deep structural dependence on Chinese raw materials and machinery — but the growing Chinese investment interest offers a pathway to transform that dependence into productive joint manufacturing capacity. If the sectors identified by FBCCI — pharmaceuticals, food processing, jute, renewable energy — attract meaningful Chinese joint venture capital, Bangladesh could begin building the higher-value export base it urgently needs for the post-LDC era.