Ambassador of the United States to Bangladesh Brent T Christensen met Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir in Dhaka to discuss increasing US investment in Bangladesh, ensuring transparency in major infrastructure projects and creating a more business-friendly trade environment.

The meeting was held at the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) office in the capital on Monday.

The two sides held detailed discussions on expanding bilateral trade, energy-sector cooperation and recent policy reforms.

Referring to the floating LNG terminal project, Ambassador Christensen said greater confidence among foreign investors could be fostered by ensuring a transparent and competitive environment for major infrastructure initiatives, adding that US companies were interested in operating in Bangladesh and stressed the need to ensure opportunities for open competition.

In response, the commerce minister welcomed US investors and said proposals from US companies would receive the highest priority if they could demonstrate their ability to supply floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs) as quickly as possible.

“If they can present an effective supply plan within a short timeframe, their position will be further strengthened,” he said.

On the import policy, the ambassador said the new policy contained several positive changes, which were commendable. But there was scope to make some provisions more business-friendly, he added.

The commerce minister said the import policy was an ongoing process and that necessary reforms were being reviewed regularly in line with market conditions and economic realities.

The meeting also discussed the government’s decision to scrap the longstanding requirement for foreign companies to appoint local agents when procuring strategic equipment. The minister said the move had restored transparency to the process by allowing the government to deal directly with manufacturers and had curbed the influence of middlemen.

On energy cooperation, the ambassador described the agreement with international commodities trader Gunvor as a positive step. In response, the commerce minister said the government was working to ensure that national interests remained the highest priority in every area.

He assured the ambassador that the policy would continue to be followed in the future.

Both sides expressed hope that regular discussions would help take Bangladesh-US commercial relations to a new level in the coming days.