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On 30th April 2026, LightCastle Partners in collaboration with Larive International, hosted a strategic dialogue titled “Bridging Markets, Building Futures: Bangladesh–Netherlands Trade and Investment Dialogue.” The session brought together diplomats, private sector leaders, industry associations, and government representatives from both countries to engage in strategic discussions on Bangladesh’s evolving investment landscape, the Netherlands’ role in advancing a sustainable and competitive trade ecosystem, and priority sectors for near-term collaboration.
The webinar formed part of a broader effort to strengthen private-sector engagement between the two countries, building over five decades of longstanding bilateral relations.
The session kicked off with opening remarks from Nicolaas Jan (Koos) Dijkstra — Deputy Head of Mission & Head of Trade and Development, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangladesh. Mr. Koos emphasized that strengthening Bangladesh’s global competitiveness will depend on an efficiency- and sustainability-driven industry transformation, enabled by Dutch expertise and supported by conducive policy and regulatory reforms.
“Bangladesh aims to transition from subsistence-level farming to higher value-added and safe food systems—an ambition that can be strengthened by Dutch innovation in seed and greenhouse technology and cold chain logistics. At the same time, emerging sectors such as renewable energy, healthcare technology, ICT, and light engineering present new avenues for collaboration, investment, and innovation” – Nicolaas Jan (Koos) Dijkstra, Deputy Head of Mission, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangladesh
Following this, Mr. Mubassir Rahman, Principal Consultant at LightCastle Partners, and Mr. Rogier Becker, Emerging Markets Advisor at Larive International, jointly presented an analysis on Bangladesh’s macroeconomic transition, sectoral opportunities, and the complementary strengths of the two economies, outlining collaboration potential across eight key sectors (i) agro-processing and agri-tech (ii) maritime and port infrastructure (iii) renewable energy and circularity (iv) healthcare technology (v) light engineering (vi) IT/ITES (vii) water and climate resilience, and (viii) logistics.
The moderated panel discussion on “Perspectives on Bilateral Cooperation” brought together a distinguished group of speakers from the Dutch and Bangladeshi private sectors and associations. The panel featured Mr. Rik Recourt, Senior Associate for Agribusiness, Food and Water at FMO, the Dutch Entrepreneurial Development Bank; Mr. Marcel Schouten, Director of LC Packaging; and Mr. Md Shakawat Hossain Mamun, President of the Dutch Bangla Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DBCCI).
The discussion offered valuable insights into the panelists’ firsthand experiences of entering and operating in the Bangladeshi market, while exploring practical avenues for advancing joint ventures, facilitating technology transfer, and strengthening investment flows across sectors. The conversation also examined the prevailing challenges and structural constraints that continue to shape bilateral business engagement. An interactive Q&A session followed, providing participants from both countries the opportunity to engage directly with the speakers.
“Bangladesh can be a very interesting market for investors, particularly those offering value-added products with strong export potential, as export income is something the country genuinely needs. For European companies, entering into a partnership with a local Bangladeshi player and bringing in the right technology can add tremendous value, both for the business and for the broader economy.” – Mr. Rik Recourt, FMO
At the closing, Mr. Mostafiz Uddin, Founding Member, European Union Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (EuroCham), reflected on Bangladesh’s industry readiness and the importance of strengthening responsible sourcing through European engagement. Mr. Nahian Rahman Rochi, Head of Business Development, BIDA highlighted the government’s ongoing efforts to enhance investor facilitation and drive key reforms. Finally, Mr. Wouter van Vliet, Director at Larive International, delivered the vote of thanks, expressing optimism for a shared future driven by private sector collaboration and ongoing institutional support.
For support related to cross-border partnership initiatives, please reach out to Naziba Ali, Business Consultant at LightCastle Partners ([email protected]), or Rogier Becker, Emerging Markets Advisor at Larive International ([email protected]).
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