French trade show kicks off tomorrow in city

France Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCIFB) and Embassy of France in Dhaka came up with the disclosure at a joint press conference held at the French residence in the city yesterday. CCIFB will celebrate its 20^th anniversary on December 9-10 with a number of programmes, including French Trade Show and a gala evening. Some 17 French companies will exhibit their products in the trade show which will come to an end on Saturday. Addressing the press conference, France Ambassador to Bangladesh Sophie Aubert said: “Bangladesh will face various challenges in trading with developed countries after attaining middle-income status as it will lose duty free access to export-import business.” “Bangladesh needs to gain more capability to improve its status to graduate into a middle-income country by diversifying business with other countries as the country will soon lose duty-free access and other trade preferences, which it is currently enjoying, after the change in its status,”  said French Ambassador. Explaining the aim of holding the trade show, she said: “The trade show will help the French companies to extend their network with foreign partners and make contact with people in Bangladesh.” “The aim of the trade show is to develop partnership between Bangladeshi and French entrepreneurs.” She also explained that the French companies have the high-level technology and they want to share their knowledge and experiences with their Bangladeshi counterparts to help develop safe and environment-friendly business here. Francois PETIT, head of economic department of the France Embassy, said: “95% of Bangladesh’s export to France is readymade garment.” Bangladesh now wants to diversify its business with France by importing agriculture equipment, pharmaceutical goods, electronic equipments, he added. He also suggested that Bangladesh should diversify its business as the nation mostly depended on garment industry. If anything wrong in the garment sector, the export business will run the risk as Bangladesh has very few others products to export. Bangladesh is currently exporting goods worth 2.1 billion Euros to France of which 95% is textile, said M Maksud, president of France Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry. “France exports goods worth around 300 million Euros to Bangladesh, so the trade balance is in favour of Bangladesh,” he said.