Bangladesh has asked investors and Bangladeshi Diaspora from Canada to engage in bigger investments in the country.
Commerce Secretary Shubhashis Bose made the call while attending a luncheon meeting organized by Canada Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CanCham) in Dhaka recently for attracting the Canadian Diaspora community.
Benoit Prefontaine, the high commissioner of Canada in Dhaka and Bangladesh President for CanCham spoke at the meeting, reports UNB.
Bose said a huge load of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is needed to attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG).
Bilateral trade has been growing at a faster rate than before, due to duty free market access, the commerce secretary said.
Bangladeshi exports reached $1.61 billion in 2017-18- 95% of which are garment items, the CanCham president said on Monday.
He also said a huge number of people are immigrating to Canada in search of business. Among them, there are many students pursuing higher education.
Awarding honorary membership to Iqbal Roshd, a successful Canadian entrepreneur of Bangladeshi origins, will act as encouragement for Bangladeshi entrepreneurs, Bose said while addressing the meeting.
Roshd was also appointed as a special representative of CanCham Bangladesh in the province of Ontario, Canada.
CanCham Bangladesh President Masud Rahman hoped Roshd would take all necessary steps to encourage Canadian entrepreneurs, including the Bangladeshi Diaspora, to engage in trade, investment and technology transfer from Canada to Bangladesh.
He made the comments while handing over the membership certificate and appointment to Roshd.
Canadian High Commissioner in Dhaka Benoit Prefontaine emphasized upon the importance of bringing in Bangladeshi Diaspora from Canada to take advantage of the opportunities existing in Bangladesh.
The envoy also said his government has been giving high priority to Bangladesh, and has been taking steps to facilitate business between the two countries.
Posting a Senior Trade Commissioner in the Bangladesh office for the first time is a proof of it, Prefontaine said.
He hoped that more Canadians would visit Bangladesh in times to come, after Canada has relaxed the travel advisory alert for Bangladesh.
Prefontaine expressed his desire to work closely with the Bangladesh government, as well as CanCham Bangladesh, and lauded the strategic decisions of CanCham Bangladesh to reach out to entrepreneurs like Iqbal Roshd in Canada.
He also assured to provide full support in continuing this type of event.
