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‘Interest of foreigners in trade, investment increasing due to political stability’


Published : 27 Mar 2023 10:01 PM

"The interest of foreigners in trade and investment is increasing due to the political stability and purchasing power of people in Bangladesh, which is a fast growing economy," said Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud.

He said this to reporters after the chief guest's speech at a seminar titled 'Innovative Business Opportunities from Belgium' at a hotel in Kawran Bazar of the capital on Monday afternoon. The seminar was jointly organized by Belgium's export development organization Olonia Export-Investment Agency and Flanders Investment and Trade.

The minister said that political stability is a prerequisite for any investment and economic development. As the size of our country's economy is expanding, there is political stability, people's purchasing power has increased and is increasing, now is the right time to invest in Bangladesh.

Hasan Mahmud, identifying the special nature of this self-promoted seminar by Belgium for investment in Bangladesh, said that usually we go abroad to hold meetings and seminars to encourage foreigners to invest, and today the Belgian authorities are bringing investors and holding seminars here. But if political stability is destroyed, then foreign investment will not come and no country will come and hold seminars like this, he warned.

The minister said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has planned to create 100 economic zones in the country. Several economic zones have already gone into production. These economic zones are being created keeping in mind domestic and foreign investment and the fourth industrial revolution. That's why investment from different countries is good for us.

"Belgium is a developed country," said Hasan Mahmoud, who earned a PhD in environmental chemistry from Limburg University Centrum in Belgium. Belgium is the headquarters of the European Union, the Parliament of the European Union sits there. If investment from that country comes to our country, especially high-tech industries, in sectors that we have not yet reached, investment in those sectors can make us proficient in those fields as well. Such topics are discussed in this innovative business seminar. Bangladesh will undoubtedly benefit from this.

Earlier, in the speech of the chief guest at the seminar, the information minister highlighted the country's progress and said, 'Bangladesh has transformed from the 60th to the 35th economy in the world in the last 14 years under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. When the whole world came to a standstill due to the Corona epidemic, our country has the third highest GDP growth among the only 20 countries in the world. In Japan's Nikkei Research Survey, Bangladesh ranked fifth in the world and top in Asia in fighting against Corona. In 2021, we surpassed India in terms of per capita income in the International Monetary Fund survey.

Ambassador of Belgium in Dhaka Didier Vanderhasselt, President of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry Samir Sattar and Consul of Belgium in Bangladesh Dr. Arif Daula addressed the seminar.

Belgian trade and investment commissioner Babette Desfossez and representatives of Belgian trade associations for agriculture, medicine, consumer goods, vehicles and construction technology made presentations on their investments in Bangladesh at the seminar.

It is noted that the Belgian trade delegation, the organizer of the seminar, is visiting Bangladesh from March 27 to 31.