Special Correspondent:
The 4th New York International Trade Fair and Chamber Expo 2025 is set to be inaugurated on Friday morning, September 26, at the Marriott Marquis Hotel in Times Square, New York. This year’s theme is: “Creating Economic Opportunities: Building a Beautiful Future Together.” Businesspeople, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and representatives from various chambers of commerce around the world will participate. From Bangladesh, interim government advisors, business leaders, and members of the Bangladeshi diaspora will also take part.
The inauguration ceremony will begin at 9:00 AM, with Md. Touhid Hossain, Foreign Affairs Advisor to Bangladesh’s interim government, as the chief guest, and Kelly Loeffler, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration, as the inaugurator. The entire event will be conducted by Mark Jaffe, President and CEO of the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce.
Following the inauguration, a special leaders’ panel discussion will begin at 10:00 AM, featuring Sharmin S. Murshed, Advisor on Social Welfare, Women and Children Affairs to the Bangladesh government, as the chief guest. Other participants include: Mark Jaffe, President, Greater New York Chamber of Commerce, BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan, Entrepreneur and donor Syed Zaki Hossain, President of the Italy-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce & Industry Mohammad Irad Ali, Oli Khan MBE, President of the UK Bangladesh Caterers Association, Subrina Hossain, CEO of NTV Europe, Monsur Mahbub, Chief Advisor of HMC & Balkan BCCI in Poland. The session will be moderated by Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed, President of the Bangladesh USA Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
At 11:00 AM, there will be a panel discussion on the new U.S. trade tariff policies, with speakers including: Md. Shahab Uddudza Chowdhury, Vice President of BGMEA, Dr. Md. Fazle Rabbi, Economic Minister at the Embassy of Bangladesh, Dilip Chauhan, Deputy Commissioner at the NYC Mayor’s Office of International Affairs, Emadur Rahman Chowdhury, Managing Director of Italy’s Pacific C SAS, Mridul Pathak, Patron of the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce and Chairman of Indo-American Global Chamber of Commerce USA, Md. Saiful Malik, Managing Director of Musa Jute Fibers Ltd., Tahsin Mostafa, Director of MNR Sweaters Ltd., Mohammad Humayun Kabir, GM of the Advertisement Department at Daily Jugantor. This session will be moderated by Mark Jaffe.
From 1:30 PM to 3:00 PM, there will be a session on Technology and Innovation, featuring: Ujjwal Roy, Vanessa Fayzulina, Justin Che, Melvin Manchau, Linda Lee, Bal Krishna Joshi, Suyog Parajuli, Subir Saha, Abubakar Hanif, Didarul Alam. This session will be organized by Amit P. Shah.
From 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM, the International Awards Ceremony will take place. Honorees include:Dahiram Bhandari, Consul General of Nepal, Nick Lugo, President of the NYC Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Following this, from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM, there will be a discussion on the apparel industry, with participants: Md. Shahab Uddudza Chowdhury, Md. Main Uddin, Shohel Mia, Md. Sohel Khan, Md. Al Amin, Md. Selim Akhtar Khan. This session will be moderated by Raihanul Islam Chowdhury.
At 5:00 PM, the “Made in Bangladesh” Fashion Show will begin, with Gloria Starr Kins as the chief guest. From 5:30 PM to 6:36 PM, “Bangladeshi Immigrant Day” will be observed. Speakers will include: Nazneen Ahmed, Kazi Helal Ahmed, Golam Faruk Bhuiyan, Kallol Ahmed, Faisal Alam, Abu Noman Shakil, Farid Alam Majumder, Mohammad Nazmul Ahsan, Ibrahim Chowdhury. This session will be moderated by economist Dr. Nazrul Islam.
The full day’s discussions will conclude at 6:30 PM with business networking and a gala dinner. Starting at 7:30 PM, there will be a cultural program, featuring music, dance, and performances celebrating diversity and unity.
The New York International Trade Fair is not just a commercial event—it is a unique platform showcasing technology, culture, diplomacy, and the contributions of the Bangladeshi diaspora. The presence of influential global personalities alongside Bangladeshi representatives will further elevate the nation’s status on the international stage.
Bangladeshi expatriates are no longer confined to cultural or social engagements—they are forging new identities in trade and business. This trade fair is a point of pride, proving that Bangladeshis are no longer just a labor force but are now emerging as creative leaders in commerce and entrepreneurship.
Where once expatriates represented Bangladesh through music and poetry, today they do so on the global economic platform. This event is not just a trade show; it is a symbol of the Bangladeshi dream, dedication, and self-confidence.
Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed, Convener of the New York International Trade Fair & Chamber Expo 2025, has urged Bangladeshi entrepreneurs and young business leaders to join the expo and help promote Bangladesh globally.
He noted that due to funding cuts from USAID and others, many NGOs are facing operational hurdles. In this context of a dollar crisis, he called upon all expatriates to send $200 annually to support education, development, and social welfare initiatives. Dr. Zia emphasized that complex bureaucratic barriers still make remittance difficult and that despite multiple communications with Bangladesh Bank’s Governor and Finance Advisor, expatriates feel their concerns are not being addressed. He stressed that overseas Bangladeshis demand solutions to these challenges.
