Bangladesh and the Islamic Centre for Development of Trade (ICDT) have officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at accelerating trade and investment cooperation and deepening Bangladesh's economic engagement within the OIC region.

The agreement was signed at the ICDT headquarters in Casablanca between the Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute (BFTI) and the ICDT.

Ambassador MJH Jabed, Bangladesh’s Permanent Representative to the OIC and ICDT Director General Latifa Elbouabdellaoui signed the document on behalf of their respective organizations, in the presence of Bangladesh’s Ambassador to Morocco, Sadia Faizunnesa.

During high-level discussions preceding the ceremony, the Bangladeshi delegation emphasized that expanding international trade and attracting foreign investment remain "key priorities of the present government led by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman."

The delegation further urged the ICDT to integrate Bangladesh’s specific economic sub-sectors into its research and policy advocacy to better showcase the nation’s trade potential.

Expressing appreciation for the partnership, the Bangladeshi envoys noted that the MoU would "pave the way for exchange of ideas, professionals and enhanced institutional collaboration," allowing Bangladeshi experts to contribute directly to ICDT programming.

ICDT Director General Elbouabdellaoui praised Bangladesh's proactive stance within OIC forums, describing the MoU as a "historic step towards deeper cooperation."

She revealed that the ICDT is considering designating Bangladesh as a "pilot country" for trade promotion, with the potential for Dhaka to serve as a regional hub for trade and investment matchmaking.

Furthermore, Elbouabdellaoui announced plans to update Bangladesh’s official country profile and initiate a comprehensive trade and investment program for 2026-27, focusing on national branding, capacity building, and trade negotiations.

The MoU is set for an initial two-year term, with provisions for future extensions.