Dhaka: The country's garment manufacturers urged for at least 50 acres of land in India to build a designated investment zone for Bangladeshi readymade garment manufacturers and exporters in the neighbouring country.

They made the request when a business delegation led by Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce of Industries (FBCCI) with its newly elected president Abdul Matlub Ahmed called on visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Sonargaon Hotel in the city on Sunday afternoon.

Following the 10 minutes call on, Matlub Ahmed told journalists that Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) requested for the land to establish an Importing Company of Garment for retailing garments in the markets across India. ‘The Indian premier welcomed the proposal’, the FBCCI chief said.

He also said that Modi responded positively to the proposal for taking necessary initiatives to implement the agreements, signed during his visit, to boost bi-lateral trade, business and investment between Bangladesh and India.

‘We hope Modi's visit will open a new horizon in the Bangladesh-India relationship especially in the areas of trade, business and investment’.

Matlub, who has a strong trade and business relations with India said that they also proposed establishing a ‘Joint Working Group’ involving private sectors of the two countries to help implement the agreements those were signed to narrow the trade gap between Delhi and Dhaka.

During the call on, President of Chittagong Chambers of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) Mahbubul Alam urged the Indian Prime Minister for taking an initiative to build a deep-sea port in Bangladesh coastal area near the port city of Chittagong.

The FBCCI president said that Modi responded to the proposal with a smile.