He shared this information at a joint press conference between Bangladesh and the European Union at the Ministry of Commerce on Sunday. At that time, progress was also reported on the start of preparatory discussions regarding a free trade agreement and an investment protection agreement between Bangladesh and the European Union.

The Commerce Minister said complications have been resolved, including the renewal of licenses for foreign-owned supply and transport companies, increasing the limit for importing commercial samples, and the customs valuation of smart cards used to identify the origin of exported products.

European Union Ambassador Michael Miller said the European Commission has responded positively to Bangladesh's formal proposal regarding free trade and investment protection agreements. Once the necessary approvals are completed, joint technical discussions could begin within this week.

The Commerce Minister also expects the European Union's cooperation in the initiative to postpone Bangladesh's timeline for graduating from the list of least developed countries by three years. He said the recommendations of the relevant United Nations agencies on this matter have been positive, and the issue will be presented for a final decision at the next session of the General Assembly.

Those concerned believe that if negotiations on a free trade agreement with the European Union begin, new market and investment opportunities may be created in various export sectors of Bangladesh, including ready-made garments, agro-processed products, and pharmaceuticals.