Singaporean Non-Resident High Commissioner Derek Low paid a courtesy call on Mahmud Hasan Khan, President of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA). He was accompanied by Mitchell Lee, Charge d’Affaires, Singaporean High Commission; TAL DaeArn, Country Officer, South Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa Directorate, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore; and Benjamin Chu, Development Partner, South Asia, Enterprise Singapore, a press release said.
The meeting saw frank discussions on various strategic issues related to bilateral trade, investment, logistics and port management and logistics development. The meeting also discussed labor issues in the garment industry, US tariffs, and various contemporary issues related to the garment industry.
BGMEA Director Rumana Rashid was also present at the meeting held at the BGMEA office in Uttara on September 17, 2025.
One of the topics discussed was Singapore’s cooperation in port management in Bangladesh.
Singapore’s High Commissioner Derek Low U-Se said that the Singapore government is interested in cooperating in the management of the Bay Terminal in Bangladesh. He mentioned that Singapore, which is ranked second in container traffic handling worldwide, has vast experience, advanced skills, and cutting-edge technology. Using this capacity, Singapore is ready to play an effective role in the development of logistics and port management in Bangladesh. The High Commissioner sought the opinion of the BGMEA President on how to increase the efficiency of the port.
BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan said that any such cooperation will significantly contribute to reducing port handling time, speeding up the shipping process and reducing the overall cost of import-export trade. He highlighted BGMEA’s expectations for increasing the efficiency of ports in the discussion.
In the meeting, the Singaporean High Commissioner said that a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Bangladesh and Singapore is almost at the final stage. In this context, they wanted to know about the current trade and investment situation in Bangladesh.
The BGMEA President highlighted the progress made by Bangladesh since the July-August uprising. He said that as per the expectations of the people, there have been several positive changes in some areas, especially in reducing the cost of doing business, increasing efficiency and transparency and accountability.
In the meeting, the BGMEA President requested the Singaporean High Commissioner to invite Singaporean businessmen to invest in promising sectors of Bangladesh. He said that apart from the FTA, Singaporean investors can also invest in other sectors including construction of international standard hospitals in Bangladesh.
Expressing the High Commissioner’s view, he said that ensuring 100% profit repatriation of investors is a prerequisite for attracting investment. He stressed on ensuring 100% profit repatriation for investors.
The BGMEA President sought the cooperation of the Singapore High Commission in diversifying Bangladesh’s exports to Singapore, especially in creating opportunities for agricultural products and fruits.
The meeting also discussed the issue of increasing Bangladesh’s ready-made garment exports to Singapore. The Singaporean High Commissioner advised the BGMEA leaders to increase garment exports to Singapore by manufacturing high-value-added garments, especially premium brands.
The High Commissioner also invited the BGMEA President to visit Singapore with a delegation to see the port activities of Singapore firsthand.
