Highlighting its unique geo-strategic location between economic giants India and China with Asean common market at the next door, Bangladesh has invited Dutch entrepreneurs to seize these opportunities to make their stake in the coming Asian Century, reports UNB. Bangladesh Ambassador to the Netherlands Sheikh Mohammed Belal made the request for investment mentioning that the road to Asian Century shall traverse through Bangladesh. He was addressing a business seminar with a theme ‘The road to Asian Century goes through Bangladesh’ in The Hague on Monday organised by the Embassy of Bangladesh for the visiting delegation from Dutch-Bangla Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DBCCI), said a media release on Tuesday. The diplomat highlighted Bangladesh’s sizable domestic market vis a vis emerging markets in the region and Bangladesh’s drive for regional connectivity. Ambassador Belal also focused on liberal investment regime in the country and Bangladesh’s DFQF access to the market of developed nations for making Bangladesh an attractive business and investment destination. In his effort to attract Dutch entrepreneurs, the Ambassador flagged that ‘new opportunities are emerging every day in Bangladesh’. DBCCI President M Hasan Khaled introduced the thrust sectors for business and investment and announced that DBCCI would come up with a Single Country Trade Fair in the Netherlands in April 2016. Shahriar Taha, Chairman, Standing Committee on Trade Fair & Events of DBCCI made a power-point presentation on the opportunities in Bangladesh. Mohammad Monwar Hossain and Aminur Rashid also made presentations on the potential of agro and food processing and leather and footwear businesses in Bangladesh. Annette Weijman from Netherlands Enterprise Agency in her address pledged support of their organisation for promotion of trade and investment between Bangladesh and the Netherlands. Following the opening session, the members of the visiting trade delegation had one-to-one meeting with the pre-qualified interested Dutch counterparts. In the session, they discussed their strength and complementarities for mutual benefit. The Dutch entrepreneurs expressed their enthusiasm and shown their keen interest in harnessing business and investment opportunities Bangladesh offers. Bangladesh Embassy organised this business seminar and business networking in a local hotel. The networking morning was attended by a good number of Dutch entrepreneurs from different sectors including leather & footwear, agro-food processing, chemicals, ICT, construction, ship-building, shipping, etc. A number of local media personalities also joined the networking morning.
