DHAKA: The Board of Directors of the Bangladesh Thai Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BTCCI) placed some proposals for enhancing bilateral trade & Investment relationship between Bangladesh and Thailand in the BTCCI Courtesy Call with the newly appointed Ambassador of Thailand to Bangladesh Panpimon Suwannapongse at the Royal Thai Embassy on Monday (August 1).
BTCCI placed some important proposals to the new Thai Envoy like to make easier for the business community multiple entry visa, more involvement of BTCCI in the Thai trade fair and other relevant Thai programs in Bangladesh, to work jointly for Thai Special Economic Zone in Bangladesh, relocating labor intensive industry in Bangladesh. The New Thai Envoy assured the business leaders to work on all proposals of BTCCI and also assured try to make easier for Thai Business Visa.
The Thai Ambassador Thanked to the board of Directors to come forward for the discussion of bilateral issues of Bangladesh and Thailand and assured with all out cooperation for enhancing bilateral relationship between Bangladesh and Thailand.
Sajjatuz Jumma said that Bangladesh and Thailand were tested friends and the ethnic historical and cultural ties of both the countries went back to years ago.
Though the trade volume between our two friendly countries reached about US$ 800 million in previous year in favor of Thailand but the volume decreased than few years back when the volume was exceeded US$1.2 billion. So, Mr Jumma wanted to get suggestion from ambassador and her officials how to increase the trade volume and increase for exporting to Thailand from Bangladesh. In this regard both the BTCCI and the Royal Thai Embassy through its Thai Trade Center based in Dhaka would work jointly their best. BTCCI President also emphasized on the increasing export from Bangladesh to Thailand and he requested Thai Officials to initiate for adding new products to import from Bangladesh such as Pharmaceuticals, Jute and Jute goods, Leather, RMG and Ceramics etc and relocating labor intensive industry in Bangladesh.
M A Momen, Immediate Past President of the chamber said that the economies of Bangladesh and Thailand were complementary but there were some products which could be manufactured at each others point to overcome competition and market there internationally. He said that Bangladesh provided a low cost production base and competitive labor market for Thai Businessmen and therefore Bangladesh could be their investment destination. Thailand could also play an important role by investing in Bangladesh’s infrastructure like Roads and Highways, Power and Energy, Agro processing and such labor intensive sectors. He also emphasized on the Data and Information sharing between BTCCI and Thai Trade Center.
Rashed Maksud Khan, Founder President of BTCCI also attended the meeting and emphasized on strengthening the already established good relationship between Bangladesh and Thailand. He stressed that potentials in our Tourism, Agro Processing, Jute and Jute goods, Light Engineering and various infrastructure facilities could also be explored.
Md. Ayub Ali, Sr. Vice President of BTCCI stressed upon more cooperation between our two business communities and to do more studies for reducing the trade deficit that currently existed between Bangladesh and Thailand. He stated that Thailand needs to import more products from other countries and Bangladesh can be one of its important sourcing countries.
The Ambassador of Thailand to Bangladesh Ms. Panpimon Suwannapongse thanked BTCCI Board of Directors for such a courtesy call with her. She said that the investment of some big companies in Bangladesh like Ital-Thai Development Company Limited was a proof of Thailand’s interest to consider Bangladesh as an investment destination. She is now working to promote 2 special Bangladeshi goods-Jute & Jute Goods and Pharmaceuticals to Export to Thailand. The Ambassador emphasized that apart from trading only, now countries should try to establish strategic partnerships. She also apprised the meeting that Thailand would import from Bangladesh a few products such as Pharmaceuticals for which she would visit to the factory of Square Pharmaceuticals Ltd soon. She assured of all cooperation and support from her embassy to BTCCI in this regard.
Some of the BTCCI Board of Directors also attended the courtesy call on including Mr. Suebsak Dangboonrueng, Minister Counsellor (Commercial) & BTCCI Honorary Director, Md. Munir Hossain, Director Administration, Abu Rushd Tarek, Director Finance, Mafiz A Bhuiyan, Shahzada Hamid, Salem Sulaiman, Pramatha Barua, Directors and Md. Nazmul Hossen, Secretary of BTCCI.
BDST: 1016 HRS, August 3, 2016
AKA
