Participants in a Vietnam-Bangladesh business meeting pose for a photo (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – A delegation of nearly 20 Vietnamesebusinesses in various sectors has visited Bangladesh to boost trade partnershipwith the South Asian nation in the first trip of its kind held by the Ministryof Industry and Trade in five years.
The Vietnamese Embassy in Bangladesh coordinatedwith the ministry and the two countries’ chambers of commerce and industry toorganise an investment and trade promotion workshop.
At the event, Bangladeshi Minister of CivilAviation and Tourism Rashed Khan Menon pledged to coordinate with Vietnam tosoon open a direct air route linking the two nations so as to enhance trade andtourism. He promised to provide the best possible conditions for Vietnamesefirms to invest in potential industries of his country such as technology andtourism.
Minister of Commerce Tofail Ahmed called onVietnamese enterprises to invest in Bangladesh and asked the VietnameseGovernment to create favourable conditions for his country’s pharmaceuticalproducts to enter Vietnam.
Noting the progress in economic and trade ties,Vietnamese Ambassador to Bangladesh Tran Van Khoa said bilateral trade reachedabout 400 million USD in the first half of 2017, up 40 percent year on year.
He stressed to develop sustainable and win-wintrade relations, businesses of both sides should diversify their export items,instead of depending on just few strong products like they have done so far.
[Infographics: Vietnam – Bangladesh relations]
Bangladesh is assessed as a potential marketwith a population of over 160 million, rapid economic growth and young andabundant workforce. It is considered a gateway for Vietnamese goods to enterother South Asian markets.
Meanwhile, it also has a number of potentialcommodities for export to Vietnam such as jute and jute products, ceramics andpharmaceuticals.
At the workshop, some Vietnamese firms alsosigned export contracts with Bangladeshi partners at a total value of 60,000USD.
Aside from the event, the Vietnamese Embassyworked with the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries tohold a meeting to listen to businesses’ proposals and help address problemsfacing their activities.
During their stay, the Vietnamese delegationsurveyed the Bangladesh market and visited automobile and motor maker Runnerand electric and electronic device producer Rahimafrooz.-VNA
VNA
