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New Zealand High Commissioner meets Dhaka Chamber President

A courtesy meeting between President of the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI), Taskeen Ahmed and Non-resident High Commissioner of New Zealand accredited to Sri Lanka H.E. David Pine, was held today, May 20, 2026, at the DCCI Gulshan Center.

During the meeting, DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed said that New Zealand holds a strong global position in dairy, dairy processing, advanced agriculture, and food safety standards. He mentioned that there is significant scope for New Zealand to support Bangladesh through experience sharing in dairy processing and livestock feed production, modernization of dairy farms, development of improved cattle breeds, fisheries, veterinary training, and technology transfer. He also urged New Zealand’s private sector to come forward with both joint and independent investments in Bangladesh’s agriculture, food processing, consumer goods and food supply chain management, water and climate management, and renewable energy sectors. Referring to the bilateral trade volume of USD 497.43 million in FY2025, Taskeen Ahmed called upon New Zealand entrepreneurs to increase imports of Bangladeshi products such as readymade garments, leather goods, and ICT-enabled services to further enhance bilateral trade relations.

H.E. David Pine, Non-resident High Commissioner of New Zealand to Bangladesh said New Zealand will continue duty-free and preferential market access for Bangladeshi goods after the country graduates from the least developed country (LDC) category. He stated that New Zealand has been giving special importance to ensuring market access for Bangladeshi goods after the graduation. To expand bilateral trade and investment opportunities both countries can explore trade deals like Free Trade Agreement, he added. He also mentioned that in the current global context diversifying export market is not enough, every country should diversify their import market also. New Zealand can be a great market for Bangladesh as it is known for its reliability, high standards, strict food safety measures, and GMO (Genetically Modified Organism) free products, and is interested in establishing a stable, long-term trade framework.

DCCI Senior Vice President Razeev H. Chowdhury and Vice President Md. Salem Sulaiman were also present on the occasion.

Published on: 2026-05-20