Poland to help extract coal
STAFF REPORTER
The Polish government yesterday offered to provide technical assistance to Bangladesh in coal extraction and proposed to export high-quality apples to the country.
The visiting Polish Deputy Minister for economic development affairs, Radoslaw Domagalski Labedzki, placed the proposals during a meeting with Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu at his office in the Parliament.
Labedzki is leading a five-member high-powered delegation to Bangladesh. Other members of the delegation are Polands Non-Resident Ambassador to Bangladesh, Tomasz Lukaszuk, Chief of Commerce in Polands New Delhi embassy, Zbigniew Magdziarz, Counsellor General of Polands Economic Development Affairs Ministry, Lucyna Jaremczuk, and mineral industries entrepreneur Piotr Jozef Broncel.
From Bangladesh, Additional Secretary of the Industries Ministry, Begum Porag, and high-ranking officials of the foreign ministry were present at the meeting. Amu said investment and trade between Bangladesh and Poland were rising.
Both the ministers emphasised the importance of transfer of technology in the industries sector, including increases in investments between the two friendly nations.
Though theres no Polish embassy in Bangladesh, bilateral trade between the two countries is now worth over half a billion US dollars, said the industries minister. The quantity of trade can be increased by strengthening institutional linkages and exchange of trade delegation visits between the two countries, Amu observed.
Pointing out that a Bangladeshi embassy was opened again in Poland last April to increase trade and bilateral investment, Amu suggested to the visiting Polish deputy minister to reopen their embassy in Dhaka. The investment environment in Bangladesh is excellent. The government has taken various steps to attract foreign investment. The Bangladeshi government has already taken initiatives to set up 100 economic regions in the country, Amu told Labedzki.
The government is setting up an economic zone in the country with proposals from India, Japan, Korea, China and many other countries, the minister added. Polish entrepreneurs could take the opportunity; Bangladesh will provide all facilities, Amu said.
The minister suggested to Labedzki that Polish entrepreneurs invest in the jute, fish processing, medicine, readymade garments (RMG), tea, plastic and bicycle sectors.
Pointing out that Poland has already increased investment in India, Labedzki assured Amu that they would boost investment in Bangladesh, too.
Meanwhile, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed said the export of Bangladeshi products to Poland will cross $1 billion within few days.
Bangladesh gets Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) in the market of Poland for all products except arms, the minister said while briefing the reporters after a meeting with the delegation of Poland yesterday.
Tofail also said Export in Poland is increasing as well as bilateral commercial agreement is under process.
He said trade will increase between two countries through exchange visit of the businessmen of both countries.
Bangladesh is establishing a total of 30 economic zones as well as offering attractive facilities for foreign investors.
Bangladesh exported a total of $498.34 million in last fiscal year while it imported only $39.50 million to Poland during corresponding period. Bangladesh export readymade garments, raw jute and jute products.
