Bangladesh’s graduation to a mid-income country opens up opportunities for UK businesses to partner Bangladeshi firms to achieve the improvements that are needed, experts said yesterday.British experience, expertise and international connections can help sustain Bangladesh’s impressive social and economic development by providing jobs and skills training for its workers, they said at a meeting organised by the British Business Group (BBG).The BBG also discussed how trade could help the south Asian country achieve that goal.How the Bangladesh government is planning for the momentous move from the least developed country to a middle income nation in 2021 was also highlighted in the meeting.The breakfast meeting was co-hosted by British High Commissioner in Dhaka Robert Chatterton Dickson and Chairman of BBG Francois de Maricourt.Planning Minister MA Mannan addressed the meeting as the chief speaker held at the residence of the British envoy.The event was also attended by the members of the BBG and Bangladesh High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem.The minister said: “The government’s door is open to business. It wants to hear from firms where the bottlenecks are. It wants a business environment fit for the 21st Century.”Continued infrastructure investment is important to ensure that the country is ready to meet the challenges to achieve a middle income country status, said Maricourt, also the CEO of HSBC Bangladesh.“British business, particularly its financial and professional services sector, was particularly well placed to contribute to Bangladesh’s development.”
