A 14-member trade delegation will visit five countries, including Russia, to explore new export markets for Bangladeshi products.
The team would leave Dhaka on Saturday and spend two days in each of the countries. Other countries are Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.
Commerce Secretary Mahbub Ahmed will lead the team comprised of Export Promotion Bureau Vice Chairman Shubhashish Bose, representatives from other government agencies and trade bodies representing jute, ceramics, textiles and pharmaceutical sectors.
The delegation will meet the government high-ups and trade bodies of the respective countries to discuss business prospects, and tariff barriers in case of exporting Bangladeshi products there.
The visit is aimed at product and market diversification as we have been dependant on few certain products and markers, Commerce Secretary Mahbub Ahmed told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday. “To reduce the dependency, we would like to reach new market with new products.”
He said there will have some bilateral issues like duty-free access of our products. The export earnings from those countries are not so good, but Ahmed expected the visit would help increase the exports.
EPB data shows Bangladesh’s export to Russia in the last fiscal year stood at US$208m while Ukraine $3.6m, Uzbekistan $6.5m, Kyrgyzstan $290,000 and Kazakhstan $560,000m.
“We will discuss overall export scenario. But importance would be given on the products having high demands,” EPB Chairman Bose said.
“We will sign MoUs with respective countries if we can reach consensus on trade related issues with the governments and business communities,” he said. “We’re hopeful about an export boom to the non-conventional markets shortly.”
He said the delegation would arrange B2B discussion to create friendly business environment.