DHAKA: Bangladesh business leaders plan to ramp up trade promotion in Saudi Arabia to boost commercial ties with the Kingdom, the Saudi Arabia-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry told Arab News, as they aim to triple exports to $1 billion by 2027.
Established in 2025, the SABCCI is a joint chamber of commerce whose work focuses on strengthening trade and investment between Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh.
This year, it is organizing events in collaboration with Bangladeshi ministries and government agencies, including the Ministry of Commerce, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Export Promotion Bureau.
The first one, scheduled to take place from Oct. 4 to 10, is a trade promotion mission across various cities in the Kingdom; Jeddah, Riyadh, Madinah, Dammam, Abha and Makkah.
“We are expecting two important ministers along with high officials from Bangladesh, and a delegation comprising 15 to 20 businessmen will participate in this Bangladeshi showcase,” SABCCI President Ashraful Haq Chowdhury said.
The chamber has identified at least eight sectors beyond its known readymade garment industry, including jute products, tea, agriculture equipment and pharmaceuticals.
The chamber will also lead another delegation comprising at least 60 members to participate at AgroFood Jeddah on Dec. 8 to 10.
“During that time, on the 9th of December, we are planning for an investment forum to attract Saudi and global investors. I am expecting high officials from the Ministry of Finance will attend along with the governor of Bangladesh Bank, and other relevant persons from the banking sector,” he added.
Dhaka and Riyadh have seen a rise in opportunities for cooperation in recent years. One of the most recent developments include the Kingdom entering Bangladesh’s energy, seaport and agriculture industries in 2023 through the signing of several investment agreements.
Earlier this month, Saudi developer Red Sea Gateway Terminal announced plans to invest up to $1 billion in Bangladesh’s logistics sector, as it launched full-capacity operations of its Patenga Container Terminal at the country’s largest port in Chittagong.
SABCCI aims to attract more Saudi investors to other Bangladeshi industries, such as petrochemical and renewable energy, Chowdhury said.
Another aspect of the chamber’s work is to develop training programs that cover tech, vocational skills and also Arabic for Bangladeshi nationals in the Kingdom to “get better job opportunity and better employment, so that they can earn more and they can remit triple foreign exchange to Bangladesh.”
Around 3.5 million Bangladeshis live and work in Saudi Arabia, sending home more than $5 billion every year. They have been joining the Saudi labor market since the 1970s and are the largest expatriate group in the Kingdom.
The SABCCI’s efforts are aimed at realizing its slogan of “triple export, triple growth,” Chowdhury said. In the 2025-26 fiscal year, Bangladeshi exports to Saudi Arabia were worth around $329 million.
“We wanted to cross $1 billion exports by 2027,” he said. “For a sustainable and achievable economic growth in Bangladesh.”
