Bangladesh Seeks Closer Trade Ties with Hong Kong to Reduce Deficit
Bangladesh Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir met with HKTDC Executive Director Sophia Chong in Hong Kong on September 10, 2026. The bilateral meeting focused on expanding diversified product exports and organizing business matchmaking to bridge the trade gap.
On September 10, 2026, Bangladesh Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir held a significant bilateral meeting with Sophia Chong, the Executive Director of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC). The high-level diplomatic and economic engagement took place on the sidelines of the Belt and Road Initiative Summit hosted at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre located in Hong Kong.
During the official discussions, the two leaders reviewed the current economic and trade relationship between Bangladesh and Hong Kong, focusing specifically on addressing the existing trade deficit. Minister Muktadir strongly emphasized the urgent need to increase the export of diversified products from Bangladesh to the Hong Kong market in order to create a more balanced commercial exchange between the two economies.
Official trade figures highlight the current economic imbalance that prompted these discussions. During the 2024-25 fiscal year, the total bilateral trade recorded between Bangladesh and Hong Kong stood at 415 million dollars. Within this total trade volume, Bangladesh imported goods worth 307 million dollars, while its exports lagged significantly behind at only 108 million dollars.
The trade data further indicates marginal shifts in the subsequent period. In the 2025-26 fiscal year, the total export earnings from shipments to Hong Kong experienced a slight increase, reaching 109.51 million dollars, though the overall trade deficit remains a central concern for the Ministry of Commerce.
To accelerate export growth and improve market penetration, concrete proposals were formally tabled during the meeting. Specifically, the Bangladeshi side proposed organizing dedicated business-to-business (B2B) matchmaking sessions aimed at successfully expanding the market presence and reach of various Bangladeshi commodities.
Articulating the strategic vision of Bangladesh during the dialogue, Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir stated that Bangladesh wants to build new trade and investment partnerships by utilizing Hong Kong as a gateway to southern China and the Greater Bay Area.
