• South Asian and other global partners to gather in Dhaka on 9-10 October
• Special focus on Sri Lanka -Bangladesh business development 
• A regional platform for networking and connectivity for new business opportunities
• Invites ports – shipping – logistics- freight forwarding, manufacturing, FMCG, tourism & hospitality, banking & finance, as well as the Industry Associations and the Chambers to understand new opportunities 

The pre-launch ceremony was held in Dhaka on 2 May. From left: Gateway Media India Editor in Chief Ramprasad Ravi, Bangladesh Freight Forwarders Association Chairman Mahbub Anam, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority Chairman Kazi. M. Aminul Islam, Ministry of Shipping Secretary Md. Abdus Samad, Bangladesh High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Riyaz Hamidullah, Indian Ports Association International Projects Advisor Atul Kulkarni, and Colombo International Maritime Conference Events Founder Rohan Masakorala

In the recent times, Bangladesh has been making strides in her social and economic development, emerging as a functioning democracy and stable and prosperous economy in spite of numerous challenges and constraints. As the country’s reform and the development agenda gets into place, for the past decade, Bangladesh’s economy has steadily grown at 6% and is now set to grow at 7%+. As much as in meeting her own development aspirations and needs, Bangladesh offers a connected, liberal, competitive and open manufacturing and distribution hub in South Asia. Over the past three decades, this has drawn thousands of Sri Lankan professionals and business community members to Bangladesh on mutually beneficial terms.

With a population of over 162 million and around $80 billion in foreign trade, along with improved business climate rankings, Bangladesh continues to consolidate its stand as an emerging Asian market. The progression has been vindicated as the United Nations recommended Bangladesh for graduation as a Middle-Income Country (MIC) this March.

As a Bay of Bengal ocean economy, connecting India, Myanmar, Nepal and China corridors, Bangladesh offers many opportunities in manufacturing, distribution, logistics and shipping for Bangladesh as well as for a vastly contiguous economic landscape covering India, Nepal and beyond. Bangladesh’s Ministry of Shipping, along with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Prime Minister’s Office, thus welcome the initiative of Gateway Media Ltd. of India and CIMC Events of Sri Lanka to host the Second South Asia Maritime and Logistics Forum (SAMLF), following the Forum’s successful deliberations at the first edition, held at Mumbai in September 2017.

On behalf of the Government of Bangladesh, as the hosting nation of the Second SAMLF, Bangladesh’s High Commissioner in Colombo Riyaz Hamidullah has invited Sri Lankan businesses and industry, drawing from areas including ports, shipping, logistics, freight forwarding, manufacturing, FMCG, tourism and hospitality, banking and finance, as well as the Industry Associations and the Chambers of Commerce and Industry, to join this key international conference in Dhaka on 9 and 10 October at the Le Meridian, and network with business and industry, government and other partners from Bangladesh, South Asia and beyond. Further details available on www.samlforum.com