International trade fair and business expo begins in New York

The Fifth New York International Trade Fair and Chamber Annual Business Expo 2026 has begun at the Borough of Manhattan Community College (BMCC) in New York.

The fair was formally inaugurated on Thursday at 9:30 AM local time at the campus on 199 Chambers Street, said a press release.

Business owners, entrepreneurs, investors, exhibitors, chamber representatives, and professionals from various countries, including the United States, Bangladesh, India, China, Nepal, and Pakistan, are participating in the event. In addition to showcasing products and services, the event includes business networking, seminars, and business-to-business (B2B) matchmaking.

Speakers at the opening ceremony included Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed, President of the Bangladesh-US Chamber of Commerce and Industry; Mark Jaffe, President and CEO of the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce; and Kelly Loeffler, Administrator of the US Small Business Administration.

In her speech, Kelly Loeffler highlighted the crucial role of small businesses and entrepreneurs in economic growth and job creation. She also emphasized the importance of supporting business expansion, creating new opportunities, and fostering entrepreneurship.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed highlighted the contributions of the Bangladeshi-American community in the United States. He cited various achievements of successful Bangladeshi-Americans in science, technology, engineering, education, business, and community development. During his speech, he mentioned the contributions of prominent figures such as Fazlur Rahman Khan, Salman Khan, Jawed Karim, Dr. Abul Hussam, Abdus Suttar Khan, Dr. M. Zahid Hasan, and Syed Zaki Hossain.

Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed emphasized the importance of a mutually beneficial commercial relationship between Bangladesh and the United States. He noted that the United States is an important market for Bangladeshi ready-made garments, while Bangladesh is also expanding commercial ties with various US products and institutions. He mentioned that this expo could play a significant role in increasing trade, investment, innovation, and long-term economic cooperation between the two countries.

Dr. Ziauddin Ahmed also highlighted the long-standing partnership between the Bangladesh-US Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce, thanking Mark Jaffe and Amit Shah.

Mark Jaffe, President and CEO of the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce, spoke about the chamber's 25 years of experience in organizing the Chamber Business Expo. He also noted their joint collaboration with the Bangladesh-US Chamber over the past five years.

Mark Jaffe said that this expo creates connections among businesspeople from different countries while providing opportunities for collaboration between large businesses, small businesses, and emerging entrepreneurs.

One of the main attractions of the fair is the business-to-business (B2B) matchmaking activity. Through this, businesspeople are getting the opportunity to connect directly with potential buyers, investors, business partners, and service providers. In addition to showcasing their products and services, participating institutions are discussing new markets, investments, and business partnerships.

Seminars and business sessions on various topics are also being held at the fair. Among these is the Global Investment, Banking, Finance, and Remittance Forum 2026, where various issues regarding the investment, banking, finance, and remittance sectors are being discussed. Alongside this, discussions and networking sessions are taking place on international trade, technology and AI, strategic sourcing and supply chain, NRB investment, and entrepreneurship development.

Another important event of the program is the International Business Excellence Awards 2026. Six prominent individuals were honored with this award in recognition of their contributions to business, entrepreneurial activities, economic development, and community service.

At the expo, organizations from Bangladesh and the United States are presenting their products and services to the international market. At the same time, an opportunity for direct communication with buyers, business partners, investors, professionals, and representatives of various institutions has been created. The organizers expect that such networking will create new market opportunities and expand international trade for Bangladeshi businesses and products.

The organizers stated that through exhibitions, seminars, business meetings, networking, and matchmaking, new relationships and collaborative opportunities are being created among businesspeople from different countries. They also expressed gratitude to the businesspeople, exhibitors, sponsors, guests, chamber representatives, various organizations, and visitors participating in the fair.