National 7 (Spotlight Weekly)

Close Cooperation

Bangladesh entrepreneurs see huge potentials of promoting trade ties between the two countries

By A CORRESPONDENT

The Bangladesh Single Country Trade Fair 2004 was organized in Kathmandu last week with the objective of exploring opportunities to promote the existing trade ties between the private sector of the two countries.

The three-day fair had 38 stalls – 34 representing trade side while two each represented tourism and education.

“Compared to the trade fair in January 2002 when only 19 stalls were in place, this time the number has doubled. This is an indication of the importance Bangladesh attaches to the bilateral trade with Nepal,” said Humayun Kabir, ambassador of Bangladesh to Nepal.

Thousands of Nepalese customers visited the trade fair, which was organized on the eve of the Dashain festival. The fair this year was participated by tourism and education related enterprises. “There is already a very good cooperation in the academic field. Around 800-900 Nepalese students are currently studying in various universities in Bangladesh. But there are rooms for expanding this tie,” said Kabir.

At the fair, Bangladeshi educational enterprises had even opened up on-the-spot admission facilities.

S.M. Shafiuzzaman, managing director of Hudson Pharmaceuticals and president of Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries, said that he was encouraged by the potentials of supplying quality drugs at reasonable price to Nepal. “The two countries are very close and have brotherly relations. If we join hands, business for both can flourish,” he said.

Likewise, manager at the Abul Khair Group – which is a leading producer of condensed milk products, beverages, cement and steel in Bangladesh – too, expected to expand their market to Nepal. “We are interested to meet with the business entrepreneurs here to explore ways to export our products,” he said.

Bangladesh is also known for its jute production. According to Dilip K. Bhadra, senior assistance secretary at the Ministry Textiles and Jute, there are possibilities to expand the ties in jute sector as well.

As ambassador Kabir said, Nepal and Bangladesh still do not have full awareness about each others’ product potentials. Such fairs will go a long way in raising the awareness and helping generate a situation beneficial to both the South Asian neighbors.