Swiss entrepreneurs are keen to invest in the leather industry in Bangladesh, said Swiss ambassador in Bangladesh Nathalie Chuard.
The Swiss ambassador told this during a courtesy call on Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun at the minister’s secretariat office in the capital on Sunday. Industries Secretary Zakia Sultana and officials concerned were present at the time.
The Swiss ambassador handed over to the minister a letter from a tannery based in Zurich, Switzerland, and expressed his interest to visit Savar tannery estate.
The Industries Minister thanked the ambassador and said that Central Influencer Treatment Plant (CETP) is being implemented centrally in the tannery industrial city of Savar and efforts are being made to solve the related problems. The minister also said any kind of Swiss cooperation will be welcomed in this regard.
Referring to the relations with Switzerland since the independence of Bangladesh in 1972, the Industries Minister said,“Switzerland has been cooperating continuously in the field of human development of Bangladesh. Also worth mentioning is the Swiss investment in chemical industry, pharmaceuticals, infrastructure, technical services and consumer goods.”
He called upon the Swiss entrepreneurs to invest more in these sectors.
During the meeting, the duo agreed to work together on issues such as patents, designs, trademarks of products and services, and Geographical Indication Products (GIs) for the protection of intellectual property. The ambassador wanted to know what kind of cooperation Bangladesh needs in this regard.
The industries minister also urged the Swiss ambassador to increase imports of textile and garment items from Bangladesh.
It is to be noted that the volume of trade between Bangladesh and Switzerland has increased almost three times in a decade and there is scope for further growth.
According to the Swiss Federal Customs Administration, goods worth about 810 million francs were traded between the two countries in 2020. Bangladesh exported goods worth 680 million Swiss francs and imported 130 million Swiss franc goods.
