The opening day of the two-day “Best of Bangladesh in Europe” event in Amsterdam concluded with strong international engagement, spotlighting Bangladesh’s growing economic potential. Held on April 17-18, 2025, at Beurs van Berlage, the nation branding event is being organized by Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE) and powered by PDS Limited. It is supported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), in association with City Bank Plc and KDS Group.
The event is expected to host over 1,500 visitors, including buyers, investors, and stakeholders from across Europe. A total of 32 Bangladeshi companies from eight key sectors apparel, leather, jute and handicrafts, IT, agro-food, poultry, and seed are showcasing their products and innovations. Notable participants include Aus Bangla Jutex Ltd, Brain Station 23, Countree Agro, KDS Group, Leatherina, PRAN Foods, Simco Spinning, and Zhejiang Weixing Industrial Development Co Ltd.
The inauguration ceremony featured Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, Executive Chairman of BIDA and BEZA, as Chief Guest. Other prominent guests included Charles Whiteley from the European External Action Service, Pascalle Grotenhuis from the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh Ambassador to the Netherlands H E Tareque Muhammad, and Pallak Seth, Executive Vice Chairman of PDS Limited.
Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud highlighted Bangladesh’s ambition to become a global manufacturing hub, citing reforms like the ‘Green Channel’ and ‘One-stop Service’ to ease trade and investment. Charles Whiteley praised Bangladesh’s economic growth and export diversification potential, affirming continued EU support. Pascalle Grotenhuis emphasized Dutch interest in long-term collaboration, especially in the RMG sector. Ambassador Tareque Muhammad urged investors to explore Bangladesh’s dynamic business environment and skilled workforce. Pallak Seth lauded Bangladesh’s business transparency and forward-looking mindset.
Day one featured several panel discussions and breakout sessions, including topics like Bangladesh’s economic growth, global sourcing opportunities, decarbonization of supply chains, innovation in fashion, and textile recycling. Contributors to the event include Fashion for Good, Fair Wear Foundation, Apparel Impact Institute, Netherlands Food Partnership, and others.
Mostafiz Uddin, Founder & CEO of BAE, called the event a milestone in branding Bangladesh globally, fostering meaningful partnerships and business expansion.
