Speakers at a dialogue on Tuesday said that establishing a diplomatic mission of Romania in Dhaka will foster bilateral trade and investment as well as exporting of skilled workforce from Bangladesh to the East European country.
Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) organized a dialogue on “Exploring Trade and Investment Opportunities between Bangladesh and Romania” in the capital.
Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh was present as chief guest while the Mayor of Bucharest, Romania Robert Negoita was present as special guest at the function.
Taposh urged the government of Romania to establish their diplomatic mission in Dhaka that will foster bilateral trade relations to a new height.
He also hoped for an intense trade relationship between Bangladesh and Romania but for that exchange of visit of the business community is more important, he added.
Mayor of the 3rd District of Bucharest, Romania Robert Negoita called for a reciprocal relationship among the business community of both the countries.
In that case, the exchange of business delegation will enhance the communication, he said.
Romania can be the gateway to Europe for Bangladesh, and to avail this opportunity investing in Romania will boost Bangladesh’s export to Europe, he added.
He said that they can provide agriculture products and technology to Bangladesh.
“Textiles products of Bangladesh have a good opportunity in Romania. The Romanian textile sector needs skilled workforce that Bangladesh has an opportunity to export,” he added. DCCI President Rizwan Rahman said that the government of Bangladesh is now emphasizing on intensifying economic diplomacy and prioritizing global integration.
He said that the cross-border trade link of Bangladesh is in good shape with Europe, USA, Africa and Middle East. Romania has been a proven export destination of Bangladesh for a long.
“The bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Romania hovers around $49.97 million of which Bangladesh imports only $27.39 million. The trade needs to grow with a win-win situation exploiting new opportunities to expand economic cooperation in many dimensions,” he added.
He requested Romanian businessmen to source furniture, plastic, pharmaceutical, ship, jute, leather products and RMG from Bangladesh at a relatively competitive price.
Bilateral Investment Treaties (BIT), signed in 1987, can be implemented to allow Romanian investors to invest in Bangladesh rewarding and competitive economic zones in the aforesaid sectors including the automobile sector, Rizwan said.
DCCI and the Romanian private sector can play pivotal roles to harness mutual potentials, he also said. To steer all potential economic cooperation, he later urged the Romanian government to resume its diplomatic mission in Dhaka.
Benjir Ahmed MP, Former President, BAIRA, Mansoor Ahmed, Senior Vice President of BKMEA, Md. Nurul Amin, Member of National Skills Development Authority (NSDA), among others, spoke at the function.
Source: United News of Bangladesh