ABCCI discusses FY2026–27 budget impact on trade, investment

The Australia-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ABCCI) hosted a high-level seminar at Antara Hall, Radisson Blu Water Garden Hotel, Dhaka, on Monday.

The event brought together senior diplomats, representatives of foreign missions, government officials, presidents of bilateral and sectoral chambers of commerce, leading business executives, corporate leaders and ABCCI members to examine and gain deeper insights into the implications of the National Budget FY2026-27 for bilateral trade, private sector growth and investment between Australia and Bangladesh.

The seminar was one of ABCCI's most significant knowledge-sharing events in recent years, underscoring the Chamber's commitment to evidence-based policy dialogue and its role as a key institutional bridge between the Australian and Bangladeshi business communities.

The seminar opened with welcome remarks by M. Maksud, President of the Australia-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who reaffirmed ABCCI's commitment to providing members with timely policy insights and highlighted the National Budget as a key driver of future Australia-Bangladesh trade and investment.

The proceedings were chaired and moderated by Farooque Khan, Director and Board Member of ABCCI. In his Opening Remarks, Mr. Khan framed the seminar's thematic context with clarity and strategic depth - situating the FY2026-27 National Budget within the broader landscape of Bangladesh's impending LDC graduation on 24 November 2026, the country's renewed political commitments under the current government, and the evolving dynamics of the Australia-Bangladesh bilateral economic corridor.

Snehasish Barua delivered the keynote presentation on the Finance Bill 2026, offering a comprehensive analysis of key changes in direct tax, VAT, customs and regulatory provisions. He also highlighted their practical implications for private sector compliance, cash flow management and the cost of doing business in Bangladesh.

Mahtab Uddin Ahmed presented a data-driven analysis of the budget's implications for Australia-Bangladesh trade, highlighting emerging opportunities in trade facilitation, clean energy, cross-border investment, and digital and services trade. He also outlined the strong growth of bilateral trade, which has reached about A$2.6 billion, and identified opportunities in LNG, pharmaceuticals, renewable energy, agri-food and education.

Professor Mustafizur Rahman, Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), concluded the technical session with a macroeconomic analysis of the FY2026-27 budget. He highlighted its implications for economic growth, revenue mobilisation, fiscal management, private sector confidence and the reforms needed to strengthen Bangladesh's competitiveness in the post-LDC era.