DHAKA, April 17, 2022 (BSS) - Standard Chartered Bangladesh hosted an International Investors and Lenders Roadshow to help Bangladesh businesses build lasting relationships with leading investment and lending institutions from the Middle East, Europe, and Asia.

The roadshow was organised in collaboration with Standard Chartered's regional Financing Solutions and Distributions Team, said a press release today.

As part of the roadshow, designated speakers outlined recent business developments, shared outlook for high-potential sectors and showcased notable success stories in Bangladesh.

 All the speakers reflected on how despite current challenges, Bangladesh has maintained steady growth while exhibiting high levels of resilience and grit.

Naser Ezaz Bijoy, Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered Bangladesh said, "As a nation, Bangladesh is at a point of inflection. Stable macroeconomic indicators in conjunction with strong post-pandemic recovery measures have established our nation as one of two Asian economies delivering constant growth - despite current market uncertainties."

He added, "The future is rife with opportunities for growth and transformation. As the only international bank with universal capabilities, Standard Chartered Bangladesh is uniquely positioned to work with local actors, international stakeholders, and the Governmentto secure LDC graduation by 2026, and begin the journey towards becoming a high-income economy by 2041."

As part of the roadshow, EnamulHuque, Managing Director, Client Coverage, Head of Corporate, Commercial and Institutional Banking, Standard Chartered Bangladesh, shone a light on the lucrative potential of investing in and lending to various sectors, all of which have demonstrated tremendous growth in recent years.

These sectors include ready-made garments and textiles; light engineering; pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs); agriculture; power and energy; and the financial sector.

Virendra Dhir, Head of Loan Syndicate and Distribution, South Asia, Standard Chartered, spoke about the nation's current opportunity spectrum - pointing out that Bangladesh strikes the right balance on the risk reward scale.

Muhit Rahman, Managing Director and Head of Financial Markets, Standard Chartered Bangladesh reiterated that, as a market, Bangladesh is primed for great success, and is full of exciting new opportunities.

He also discussed that the nation's external debt-to-GDP ratio is one of the lowest in the region, providing Bangladesh with sufficient room for external borrowing in foreign currency to support the country's development agenda.

This was the first virtual iteration of Standard Chartered's International Investors and Lenders Roadshow. 121 individuals, representing various lending organisations and institutional investment bodies from the Middle East, Europe and Asia, were present.

Speakers included: Naser Ezaz Bijoy, Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered Bangladesh; Enamul Huque, Managing Director, Client Coverage, Head of Corporate, Commercial and Institutional Banking, Standard Chartered Bangladesh; Muhit Rahman, Managing Director and Head of Financial Markets, Standard Chartered Bangladesh and Md Maroofur Rahman Mazumder, Executive Director and Head of Financing Solutions, Standard Chartered Bangladesh.

Having an uninterrupted presence of over 117 years in Bangladesh, Standard Chartered is the only multinational universal bank in the nation.

As one of largest foreign investors in Bangladesh, the Bank plays a leading role in attracting and facilitating foreign investment. Under its signature platform Showcase Bangladesh, three investment summit webinars were held in 2021 - connecting over 1,000 investors from China, Japan, and Malaysia.