By Khawaja Hamza
Islamabad, Advisor to the Prime Minister for Industries and Production Haroon Akhtar Khan received Bangladesh’s Minister for Finance and Planning, Rashid Al Mahmud Titumir, along with his delegation, to discuss bilateral relations, industrial cooperation, export-led growth and opportunities for strengthening economic ties between the two countries.
The meeting was attended by Rana Ihsan Afzal, Coordinator to the Prime Minister on Industries and Commerce; Humaira Zia Mufti, Additional Secretary, Ministry of Industries and Production; and Freedoon Akram Sheikh, Joint Secretary.
Welcoming the visiting minister and his delegation, Haroon Akhtar Khan said that Pakistan and Bangladesh shared brotherly relations rooted in common cultural heritage and historical connections. On behalf of the people of Pakistan, he warmly welcomed the distinguished guests and expressed his desire to further strengthen bilateral engagement.
The Advisor said that Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif attached particular importance to strengthening relations with regional countries and promoting economic cooperation through mutually beneficial partnerships.
Highlighting Pakistan’s ongoing industrial transformation, Haroon Akhtar Khan said the government was introducing regulatory reforms to facilitate investment, accelerate industrial development and improve the business environment. He emphasized that the government’s approach was to replace red tape with a red carpet for investors, ensuring greater facilitation and ease of doing business.
The Advisor briefed the visiting delegation on Pakistan’s initiatives in the automotive and clean energy sectors, stating that the country had introduced a New Energy Vehicle Policy to facilitate the transition towards sustainable and environmentally friendly technologies.
He further informed the delegation that work was underway on the Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) Policy to promote the local manufacturing of lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries. He added that the government was also facilitating the rapid expansion of electric vehicle charging infrastructure across the country.
Highlighting Pakistan’s progress in solar technology, Haroon Akhtar Khan said that these emerging sectors offered significant opportunities for collaboration between Pakistan and Bangladesh.
He identified solar technology, battery manufacturing, electric vehicles and broader industrial development as promising areas for bilateral cooperation. He emphasized that both countries could explore mutually beneficial opportunities through industrial partnerships, technology transfer, joint ventures and greater value addition in products.
The Advisor also stressed the importance of export-led growth, manufacturing expansion, industrial productivity and value addition as key pillars for strengthening economic cooperation between the two countries.
During the meeting, Bangladesh’s Minister for Finance and Planning, Rashid Al Mahmud Titumir, expressed warm sentiments towards Pakistan and its people, describing the relationship between the two countries as brotherly.
The visiting minister shared Bangladesh’s economic experience and highlighted the country’s progress in overcoming various economic challenges. He stated that Bangladesh had made significant efforts to stabilize its microeconomic and macroeconomic indicators while achieving improvements in industrial growth and manufacturing.
He also emphasized the potential for expanding economic and industrial cooperation between Pakistan and Bangladesh, noting that stronger bilateral engagement could create new opportunities for both countries.
The meeting concluded with a shared understanding of the need to strengthen economic engagement, explore new avenues of industrial collaboration and promote mutually beneficial partnerships between Pakistan and Bangladesh.
