Members of the business community met the board of directors and members of International Business forum of Bangladesh (IBFB) yesterday at the Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI) conference hall to discuss possible business interactions between the two countries.
Speaking to the gathering, the president of IBFB, Mahmudul Islam Chowdhury said that the delegation had come to Bhutan to explore possible trade opportunities between the two countries.
“Bhutan may take advantage of the competitive prices offered in Bangladesh on products like apparels, pharmaceutical products, agricultural products and so on. On the other hand, Bangladesh may be able to import the abundant hydroelectric power available here in Bhutan and also fresh fruits and vegetables,” he said. “With an area of nearly 57 thousand square miles inhabited by nearly 150 million people, and the current per capita GDP of around USD 1300, Bangladesh can be viewed as a large market ideal for business and investment opportunities.”
He also extended an invitation to the Bhutanese entrepreneurs to become members of IBFB, which is an international organization and is open to individuals becoming members and making contributions towards overall improvement of the business climate.
“You cab avail this opportunity to become one of our esteemed members either as a regular member or a corporate member. This would be most beneficial for all those who wish to do business in Bangladesh, and in this regard, IBFB can, as a part of its goal of bringing more foreign direct investment into Bangladesh, play the past of matchmaker for our Bhutanese counterpart,” Mr Chowdhury said.
He also expressed his hope that a Bhutanese trade delegation would visit Bangladesh to explore possibilities for doing business, and added that IBFB would do its best to receive such a delegation.
The Bhutanese entrepreneurs expressed interest in expanding trade with Bangladesh, and inquired about business policies in Bangladesh.
Speaking to BHUTAN TODAY, the president of IBFB said that his delegation greatly enjoyed the discussion.
“This meeting was a follow up to the visit of our Prime Minister in November last year, and it has been very fruitful,” he said.
He added that Bangladesh wants to be a major exporter for Bhutan.
IBFB, much like BCCI, is a trade body dealing with national issues for policy reforms. However, it also represents intellectuals who are in some way linked with the country’s economy, and conducts research on various business related activities and issues that have an impact on the business community in Bangladesh.
The delegation from IBFB is visiting Bhutan from the 5-8 February, and has also met the officials from the Ministry of Economic Affairs.
By Dipika Chhetri in Thimphu
