Booming Bangladesh

Widely known for its textile and ready made garment industry, the dynamically growing South Asian country also offers chances in various other sectors. This assumption was confirmed during a one-week business mission organized by OAV and the Association of German Chambers of Industry & Commerce who visited Dhaka and Chittagong in early September 2019.

The delegation comprised of 23 people representing sectors like jute, textiles and garments, IT, construction, interior design, shipping, tourism, environmental technologies and banking and was accompanied by a representative of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy. The delegates from Germany, but also from Greece, the UK and France, were received by the Economic Adviser to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the Finance Minister as well as the Foreign Minister and the Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce. Apart from political appointments, company visits took place, e.g. a visit to BEXIMCO Group, one of the largest textiles producers in Bangladesh and also a manufacturer of ceramics. During their stay in Chittagong, the delegation paid a visit to the Chittagong Port and met with the Chairman of the Port Authority, who informed them about ongoing and future port projects. At a working lunch with the President of the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce & Industry, several members of CCCI introduced themselves and their activities and discussed Chittagong as a possible investment location. Further company visits to a Japanese ropemaking company in the Chittagong Export Processing Zone and a state-of-the art textile mill of the Ispahani Group of Companies rounded off the program. As Germany is the main importer of Bangladeshi goods in Europe, the importance of the delegation visit was shown not only in the high-profile meetings that took place, but also through the strong media presence during the stay in Dhaka and Chittagong. Numerous articles were published about the visit highlighting the good bilateral relations and possible areas of cooperation. However, the great opportunities still come along with challenges. Some delegates took part in the trip to address exisiting hurdles and even to solve a dispute. Open discussions with several key players took place throughout the week – thus demonstrating to delegates that are planning to enter the market that it is possible to address grievances and hurdles can be overcome.

For further information, please contact: Barbara Schmidt-Ajayi, Regional Manager South Asia schmidt-ajayi@oav.de

“The business mission of OAV and DIHK to the dynamically growing market Bangladesh in September 2019 has opened up new and unique prospects for me. Even though I have been travelling to Bangladesh on a regular basis for more than ten years, the mission gave me a whole new perspective on the country and I was able to connect with numerous fascinating people. The trip was organized very well and, apart from the chance to meet with high-level decision makers from economics and politics, the delegation itself comprised of highly interesting corporate represenatives that have become valuable contacts for me.“           
Jan Moritz, Managing Director, Julius Hüpeden GmbH

“My sincere thanks and appreciation to OAV for organizing the delegation trip to Bangladesh, this was sound business and a gratifying experience! With my clients, we made real progress with Bangladesh decision makers in a difficult case of conflict resolution. Not to mention the valuable discussions among delegation participants, the strategic networking, the insights into business opportunities and local business culture. I look forward to doing more business with Bangladesh.“
Dr. Mary Papschinopoulou, Owner and Managing Director, MARYTIME – Corporate Diplomacy and EU Public Affairs

Evening reception at the Residence of the German Ambassador Peter Fahrenholtz in Dhaka
Meeting with Taqsem Khan, Managing Director & CEO of the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority
Discussion with the Hon Finance Minister, H.E. A H M Mustafa Kamal: H.E. Mustafa Kamal, German Ambassador Peter Fahrenholtz, Head of Delegation Peter Clasen, Arne Küper of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy, Christoph Winnat of Helaba, Landesbank Hessen-Thüringen and Jan Moritz of Julius Hüpeden GmbH (from left to right)
Visit to the textile factory of BEXIMCO Group
Meeting with Chairman of Port Authority of Chittagong
Port visit
Working lunch with Mahbubul Alam, President of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce & Industry and sector-specific member companies
Evening reception with the Honorary Consul of the Federal Republic of Germany in Chittagong, Mirza Shakir Ispahani
Meeting with the Hon Foreign Minister, H.E. Dr. A K Abdul Momen: H.E. Dr. A K Abdul Momen, German Ambassador Peter Fahrenholtz, Head of Delegation Peter Clasen (from left to right)
H.E. Dr. Mashiur Rahman, Economic Adviser of the Hon Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, welcomes the delegation at the Prime Minister’s Office