CCCI team meets Chinese e-commerce company Alibaba

A courtesy call and a discussion took place with the leaders of the Chattogram Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) and a delegation from the China-based e-commerce firm Alibaba.com at the World Trade Center in the city on Saturday.

During this meeting, Chamber President Mohammad Amirul Haque, former President Amir Humayun Mahmud Chowdhury, and Alibaba.com’s General Manager for Pakistan and Bangladesh Mr. Gaoya Summer, along with Senior Specialist and Bangladesh Channel Manager Mr. Wang Qiling Vania, represented their respective organisations from both countries.

Amirul Haque remarked that Bangladesh is currently entering a new phase of economic transformation. The national budget for the fiscal year 2026-27 includes initiatives aimed at establishing bonded warehouses and free-trade zones to enhance trade, attract foreign direct investment, and boost export competitiveness. Besides, the government has sanctioned the establishment of the China Special Economic Zone in Anwara, Chattogram.

Given that Alibaba.com provides products online on a global scale, he urged the inclusion of various Bangladeshi products on Alibaba’s online platform.

Concurrently, the chamber president advocated for the production of export-oriented goods and the establishment of intake service stations within the China Special Zones and government-designated free-trade zones.

He emphasized that China is a vital development partner for Bangladesh. Due to their geographical proximity, new economic ties have been forged between the two nations.

Consequently, enhancing business-to-business communication in bilateral trade is essential. He assured the CCCI of its commitment to initiatives related to business expansion, e-commerce, and training in Bangladesh.

Gawa Samar, general manager of Alibaba, stated, “Alibaba.com, recognized as one of the largest e-commerce platforms globally, was founded in 1999.

The company boasts over 50 million active customers across the globe. Besides, it offers more than two billion products sourced from over two hundred thousand suppliers. Given Bangladesh’s substantial population, Alibaba.com is exploring avenues to enhance its business operations within the country.”

The Chattogram region of Bangladesh, in particular, is noted for its considerable agricultural and seafood production, which is in high demand internationally, he said, adding, “Efforts are being made to diversify and export products beyond the ready-made garment sector in Bangladesh, as well as to link e-commerce and small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) entrepreneurs to the Alibaba platform.”

“In line with this initiative, we have launched the Alibaba Center in Chattogram, where traders can access information related to export diversification, including training opportunities,” he continued.
Former President of the CCCI, Amir Humayun Mahmud Chowdhury, remarked that e-commerce has not yet seen significant growth in Bangladesh.

He emphasized the necessity for adequate training. “Additionally, since Alibaba distributes products globally, it has the potential to contribute to the expansion of Bangladesh’s exports.

In this context, Alibaba.com can facilitate the growth of e-commerce and the diversification of exports by providing proper training to young entrepreneurs in Bangladesh,” he added.

Chamber’s Senior Vice President Md. Amjad Hossain Chowdhury, Vice President Md. Mosiul Alam Swapan, Directors Kamal Mostafa Chowdhury, Abu Haider Chowdhury (Amjad), Aman Ullah Al Chhagir (Chhuttu), Md. Monir Uddin, Md. Sajjad Un Newaz, Md. Afsar Hasan Chowdhury (Jasim), Md. Zahidul Hasan, Asad Iftekhar, Mohammad Habibur Rahman, Mohammad Nurul Islam, Sarwar Alam Khan, Shahidul Alam, and Md. Selim Nur, along with Alibaba.com Business Development Manager Zhang Suhai Bryce, Service and Account Manager Tang Hongxia Tina, Bangladesh Channel Manager Sonobar Maira, Bangladesh Managing Director Md. Faizul Alam, Executive Director Shan Shahed, and Consultant Sajid Bin Solaiman, among others, were present on the occasion.