The International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Bangladesh President Mahbubur Rahman urged ambassadors of the Asean Dhaka Committee (ADC) to increase imports from Bangladesh to reduce trade gaps.

The ADC is an informal platform formed by the heads of missions of eight Asean countries in Dhaka --Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines and Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

Rahman made the request after the Asean ambassadors paid a courtesy call to the ICC Bangladesh's secretariat in the capital today.

They discussed the promotion of bilateral trade and investment prospects of Bangladesh and Asean members during the meeting.

The ICC Bangladesh president said Asean member states are home to a total of 661 million people with a gross domestic product of $3.08 trillion and trade exceeding $2.7 trillion. He said that showed that there was a huge market for Bangladesh in Asean nations.

He said Bangladesh values the Asean community and the constructive role it plays in the global arena.

According to 2020 data, Bangladesh imports goods worth nearly US $7.0 billion from 10 Asean states -- Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

However, Bangladesh's exports to Asean members are still paltry, standing at less than $ 1.0 billion per annum, which means imports by Bangladesh from Asean far exceeds exports, Rahman added.

Sheela Pillai, chair of Asean Dhaka Committee and head of mission of the high commission of the Republic of Singapore to Bangladesh, emphasised the importance of diversification of the export basket, which would facilitate Bangladesh's export to Asean countries.

Haji Haris Bin Othman, high commissioner of Brunei to Bangladesh, pointed out agro-based products and meat as potential products for export to the nation.

Haznah Binte Md Hashim, high commissioner of Malaysia to Bangladesh, said: "Malaysia has huge investment in Bangladesh, and we are looking forward to increasing investment here."

Naser Ezaz Bijoy, vice-president of ICCB, said that Bangladesh could be an important development partner and act as a bridge between South Asian and Asean nations because of its location.

Among others, Leo Tito L Ausan Jr, ambassador of the Republic of the Philippines to Bangladesh, Panom Thongprayoon, minister counsellor of the Royal Thai Embassy, Md Fazlul Hoque, executive board member of ICCB, and Ataur Rahman, secretary general, were also present.