JETRO to BIDA: Connect startups of Bangladesh with Japan SMEs

Japan’s export promotion agency JETRO has floated a plan to matchmake young entrepreneurs of Bangladesh with Japanese SMEs and investors to augment economic growth.

Executive Vice President of JETRO or Japan External Trade Organization Naoyoshi Noguchi in a meeting with Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, BIDA, Executive Chairman Kazi M Aminul Islam made the proposal on Thursday in Tokyo.

Islam is leading a Bangladesh government and private sector delegation to Japan to promote the country before the prospective investors. Ahead of a seminar with a record number of 250 Japanese businessmen, he called on the JETRO executive vice president at his office.

Noguchi appreciated Bangladesh for its humanitarian gesture to give refuge to the Rohingya people, and discussed trade and investment situation, and security aspects as seven Japanese construction consultants were killed in the unprecedented terrorist attack in Gulshan on July 1, 2016.

He said Japan is trying to promote venture business for start-ups.

“Is it possible to arrange matching events between Bangladeshi start-ups and Japanese SMEs?” he asked.

Japan is trying to encourage startups for innovative new businesses to drive forward economic growth.

“I readily agreed. We’ll find out the modalities on how can we take this forward,” the BIDA executive chairman told bdnews24.com after the meeting.

He said BIDA had already targeted to create 100,000 entrepreneurs in next few years in Bangladesh. “We are taking this to the divisional level. We are asking them [students, youths] not to ask for a job, but to create a job.”

He said those new entrepreneurs of both countries can play a bigger role at national, regional and international level.

He also appreciated the cooperation JETRO has extended to Bangladesh. The Japanese agency had dispatched its official to the BIDA office for helping the Japanese investors.

On the Rohingya issue, Aminul Islam said Noguchi appreciated Bangladesh’s decision to shelter Rohingya refugees.

“I told them our prime minister had opened up her heart before opening the borders of Bangladesh. We have given them shelter even though we do not have the financial ability to carry the burden of one million Rohingyas.”

On the matter of security, he stressed disseminating real information to Japanese people.

“The perceived risk about Bangladesh is much higher than the real risk,” the BIDA boss noted before adding that Bangladesh is safer than “London, New York”.

“We suffered only one attack. And after that, the government has taken every possible measure and there has been no recurrence.”

He said the JETRO top official also appreciated the “inner strength” of Bangladesh because despite difficulties, Bangladesh has achieved higher economic growth.

Bangladesh Ambassador to Japan Rabab Fatima, Petrobangla Chairman Abul Mansur Md Faizullah, Additional Secretary for Power Zakir Hossain, Commercial Counsellor of Bangladesh embassy in Japan Mohammad Hasan Arif, Manager [investment promotion] of Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority Md Ahsan Ullah and Managing Director of Energypac Humayun Rashid, also a director of DCCI, joined the BIDA chief in the meeting.