Cold Chain Investment Conference 2024 begins in Dhaka

A day-long Cold Chain Investment Conference has started in the capital to facilitate investment in using temperature-controlled logistics for ensuring safe food for the people and increase opportunities for the agro-business.

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Private Industry and Investment Salman Fazlur Rahman inaugurated the conference while Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Executive Chairman Lokman Hossain Miah presiding over the inaugural session.

The BIDA and the US Department of Agriculture’s Bangladesh Trade Facilitation (BTF) project organised the investment conference at BIDA Multipurpose Hall in Biniyog Bhaban at Agargaon in the capital.

The conference will have two panel discussions, titled “Importance of TCL: Role of Cold Chain in Ensuring High Quality, Safe Food, and an Expanded Export Basket”, and “Ensuring Access to Finance and Conducive Policies to attract TCL Investment in Bangladesh”.

Speakers in the inaugural session mentioned the critical role of TCL in maximising potential of sectors like agro-business.

They said by 2031, temperature-controlled logistic services in Bangladesh including storage and transportation, and value-added services like grading, labelling, and packaging, are expected to have a combined market value of $440 million.

“The cold chain investment conference will therefore facilitate dialogue between government officials, financial experts, and industry leaders to promote domestic and foreign investments in TCL,” said William Fellows while presenting the keynote speech.

Fisheries and livestock ministry’s Secretary Md Selim Uddin; Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry President Mahbubul Alam, Senior Secretary to the shipping ministry Md Mostafa Kamal, and City Bank CEO Mashrur Arefin, among others, are attending the conference.