Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi has urged Mexican entrepreneurs and business community to invest in Bangladesh's economic zones.

He made the call during a bilateral meeting with Mexican Secretary of Economy Raquel Buenrostro in Mexico on Tuesday, according to a press release of the commerce ministry.

This was the first such top-level meeting between the two countries in nearly five decades, it said.

Tipu Munshi, who is currently visiting the North American country, also proposed the formation of a bilateral trade joint group to enhance cooperation. He is leading a 12-member high-level business delegation.

In the meeting, both Tipu Munshi and Buenrostro pledged to take economic relations to new heights.

In order to build a Smart Bangladesh by 2041 and make the country one of the fastest-growing economies in the Asia-Pacific region, the government has set a target to establish 100 economic zones.

"Many countries have already invested in the economic zones," he added.

Buenrostro stressed concluding agreements on double taxation and customs, the press release said.

She also urged the businessmen of Bangladesh to explore trade opportunities in Mexico and expressed her country's interest in investing in the pharmaceutical sector of Bangladesh.