By Roy Lie Atjam
The Best of Bangladesh in Europe has concluded with success, marking a significant turning point for Bangladeshi trade and businesses. The second edition of the “Best of Bangladesh” presentation took place in Amsterdam on April 17-18, 2025, at the historic Beurs van Berlage. This venue was the perfect setting for a significant trade and business event. Originally designed as a commodity exchange, the Beurs van Berlage was constructed between 1896 and 1903 and has a rich history. It was also the site of the civil ceremony for the wedding of King Willem-Alexander and Máxima Zorreguieta in 2002. This event firmly established Bangladesh’s presence in European trade and business, showcasing its potential for growth and collaboration.
The event being held on 17-18 April 2025 at Beurs Van Berlage in Amsterdam showcased the dynamic potential of Bangladesh’s economy, attracted over 1500 visitors, including buyers and investors and stakeholders from around the Europe.
The two-day nation branding event is being organized by Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE) and powered by PDS Limited, in association with City Bank Plc, Bangladesh, and KDS Group, with the support of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA).
The event featured 32 exhibitors representing eight vital sectors, including apparel, leather, jute and handicraft, IT, agro-food, poultry and seed, offering a unique opportunity for Bangladeshi businesses to connect directly with international partners.
The exhibiting companies includes Aus Bangla Jutex Ltd., Agronochain, Brain Station 23, BJIT Group, Bondstein Technologies Ltd, Countree Agro, Centrotex Ltd, Classical Handmade Products BD Ltd, Delmas Apparels Pvt Ltd, Knit Asia Ltd, KDS Group, Lal Teer Seed Ltd., Leatherina Pvt Ltd, Mapped In Bangladesh (MiB), Meridian Foods Ltd., Noize Jeans, Nourish Feeds Limited., PDS Limited, PDS Venture, Good Earth, Smartex, Pacific Knit Division, Paddock’s Jeans, Polka Flex, PRAN Foods Ltd., Paragon Group, Rising Group, Reverse Resources, Ruhrose Studio RBT,Simco Spinning & Textiles Ltd. (Cyclo), Shin Shin Apparels Ltd, Tarango, Turjo Tex Limited, Team Group, and Zhejiang Weixing Industrial Development Co. Ltd.
The event was inaugurated at 11am Amsterdam time where Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, Executive Chairman of Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) and Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) was the Chief Guest; while Charles Whiteley, Head of South Asia Division of European External Action Service was the Guest of Honor; Pascalle Grotenhuis, Director-General for International Cooperation of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands was the special guest; H.E Mr. Tareque Muhammad, Ambassador of Bangladesh to the Kingdom of the Netherlands was the Guest of Honor; and Pallak Seth Executive Vice Chairman of PDS Limited was also the Guest of Honor.
On the first day of the event Panel Discussion 01: Bangladesh: Overarching Economic Growth and Investment Opportunities, Panel Discussion 02: Bangladesh into Future: A Global Sourcing Hub, Country Presentation (Bangladesh) by City Bank Plc, Bangladesh, Presentation PDS in Action: Turning Sustainability into Reality in Bangladesh By PDS Limited, Presentation by OneTrueValue – ORE II: Decarbonizing Global Supply Chains, Presentation by Aware™ – Proof Over Promise, Fireside Chat 01 – Opportunities for Action – Driving a Just Transition in Bangladesh by Laudes Foundation, Fireside Chat 02 – Bangladesh Poultry Industry, Breakout Session 01 – The Global Circular Future: Unlocking Social Business Opportunities in Bangladesh and Europe, Breakout Session 02 – Fashion for Good (Innovation in Action), and Breakout Session 03 – Dutch-Bangla Roundtable on Textile Recycling were held.
Contributors of the 2nd edition of the Best of Bangladesh in Europe are Apparel Impact Institute, Cascale, Circle Economy, Clean & Unique, Dutch Greenhouse Delta, European Union, Export Partner, Ethical Trading Initiative, Fair Wear Foundation, Fashion for Good, Netherlands Food Partnership, Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), OneTrueValue, SeedNL, Social and Labor Convergence Program (SLCP), and YY Ventures.
In the event, Fashion runway was organized where capability of Bangladesh apparel industry in innovation, sustainability as well as in product design and development was showcased.
Shin Shin Group, Pacific Knit Division, Team Group and CentroTex Group presented their latest products on the ramp of the 2nd edition of Best of Bangladesh in Europe at the iconic Amsterdam Conference Centre Beurs Van Berlage in Amsterdam, the Netherlands in front of the European representatives of fashion brands and retailers.
Mostafiz Uddin, Founder & CEO of Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE), said “As we celebrate the achievements of Best of Bangladesh 2025, the Bangladesh Apparel Exchange extends heartfelt thanks to all exhibitors, sponsors, and partners who contributed to the event’s success. This gathering was not just an exhibition; it was a vital catalyst for transformation within our trade landscape.”
“Best of Bangladesh has profoundly elevated our position in the international market. It is an outstanding opportunity for Bangladeshi businesses to showcase innovation and engage with key stakeholders, fostering partnerships that drive economic growth.”
For more information visit: https://bestofbangladesh.org/
