Speakers at an event on Thursday laid an emphasis on joint efforts to increase regional trade and investment among the member countries of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC).
They also stressed the need for better connectivity among the South Asian countries for their collective economic benefits.
They made the observations at the event titled "Advancing Global and Regional Trade and Investment" at a city hotel.
They said that the SAARC countries could work together for developing different important sectors in the region including power and energy, information technology and human resource sectors.
Secretary General of FBCCI Alamgir Hossain delivered the address of welcome. President of SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Jashim Uddin said the global economy and politics were shifting fast.
"We need to increase our regional trade among the SAARC countries," he said.
He suggested creating skilled manpower in South Asia, considering the growing number of youth people.
He said that businesses of South Asian countries could work together to boost regional trade and investment.
Director (Economy, Trade and Finance) of SAARC Secretariat Bhavesh R Trivedi said South Asian countries needed to intensify connectivity and removing trade barriers for increasing regional trade.
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Policy Exchange Bangladesh Dr M Masrur Reaz stressed the need for increasing regional trade and investment among the member countries of South Asia.
Vice - President of SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Chandi Raj Dhakal said 42 per cent of peoples were youths in SAARC countries.
He said that there were so many untapped resources in South Asia.
"We need to focus on a unified voice in the WTO forum for economic benefits of South Asian countries," he said.
Proprietor of AyAI Enterprise and also director of FBCCI Syed Sadat Almas Kabir, President of the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry Atif Ikram Sheikh and Director of Max Group Golam Md Alamgir, among others, spoke at the event.
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