Investors find ‘renewed enthusiasm’ in Bangladesh

The minister of state for foreign affairs has discerned a “renewed enthusiasm” in investing in Bangladesh.

“We (his government) are doing everything possible to make it (investments) happen,” M Shahriar Alam said on Tuesday while inaugurating a seminar on in Dhaka.

Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS) organised the seminar which follows a two-day B2B matchmaking meetings with a visiting Netherlands IT entrepreneurs’ team.

Executives of leading Dutch IT companies are in the delegation as they are looking for partners in Bangladesh for outsourcing.

The junior minister welcomed them in Bangladesh’s “emerging” IT marketand said the government spending for improving IT infrastructure had been increased significantly.

He said an investment friendly climate was also prevailing in Bangladesh, referring to the just-concluded visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Abe also led a strong business delegation including at least 22 CEOs of top Japanese companies during his visit when he promised to promote trade and investment for Bangladesh.

The junior foreign minister said after Abe’s visit, Bangladesh hosted the 53-countries group Commonwealth Tele-communication Organisation’s conference.

On Tuesday, Dhaka was hosting the WHO health ministers’ meeting of 11 countries in the Southeast Asia region.

He said UNESCO Director General had been in Dhaka on Monday and the UN body observed its International Literacy Day in Dhaka instead of its usual destination in Paris.

“It shows the potentials of Bangladesh,” he told the Netherlands business group.

He said the government was doing everything possible towards a digitised Bangladesh as it is one of the key pledges of the ruling Awami League’s earlier term.

“We are reaching every corner of Bangladesh (for IT),” Alam said.

He said businessmen now have “proper marketing” opportunity to brand Bangladesh.

He, however, said the government is determined “to keep peace and maintain a good business investment climate at any cost” and urged the Dutch entrepreneurs to avail the opportunities Bangladesh offers to them.

Director General of International Cooperation from the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs Christiaan Rebergen who led the team was impressed to see Bangladesh’s progress in the last 12 years, his last visit in Dhaka.

“We see potentials here,” he said.

Bangladesh is the fourth largest investment destination for Netherlands, he said and it is the ninth largest export destination for Bangladesh.

“Our goal is to promote trade in both directions,” he said.

BASIS has taken a five year plan called “One Bangladesh” to achieve $ 1 billion from software, ITES, and BPO export by 2018.

It also plans to train and create 1 million professionals in this sector.

BASIS President Shameem Ahsan said the Dutch government has extended their support towards strengthening the bilateral business relationship between Bangladesh and European countries.

He expressed his hope that some new business collaboration would take place through the two-day business to business (B2B) matchmaking meetings.

Netherlands ambassador in Dhaka Gerben Sjoerd de Jong was also present, among others, at the inauguration.