Pretoria - While countries around the globe are still recovering from the pandemic and the effects of recent conflicts, the People’s Republic of Bangladesh has rolled out the red carpet for South African businesses to come and share in the wealth it has to offer.
Leather products, pharmaceutical teas, and textiles made from the “golden fibre”, to a wealth of ready-made products, are just the tip of the mountain of wealth that Bangladesh is more than ready to share.
Speaking at the country’s “Made in Bangladesh” exhibition held at the Sheraton Hotel recently the State Minister of Foreign Affairs for Bangladesh, Shahriar Alam said he wanted South African businesses and associations to know that the country was ready for business, very competitive and had proven time and again that they were more than capable.
Alam said this could be seen by the fact that the country was now the second-largest exporter of ready-made garments in the world.
He said the country’s export figures were standing at $55 billion, however, it only came up to a quarter of a billion in South Africa as both countries exported and imported similar amounts of products, goods, and services
Moving forward, Alam said it was key for the country to concentrate on their bilateral trade, as even though Bangladesh had their mission in the country from the mid-90s, South Africa was yet to open a mission or consulate.
“The South African government has to decide as they currently operate from the mission in Delhi but our desire is for them to open a consulate in Bangladesh because it is important and significant enough for the country to invest in a consulate.
“If a consulate is up and running, then South African businesses will travel and go to Bangladesh as it will be able to facilitate and handle them."
With the country celebrating the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the chamber in Bangladesh, he would be extending the gateway to businesses to attend the celebration as there would also be seminars, and products displayed for them to witness.
This includes products made from Jute a natural fibre indigenous to Bangladesh and certain parts of India, pharmaceuticals that produce tea, and helping South Africa to make better use of rawhide to make leathers, these are just the cusp of the knowledge and products the country can bring to South Africa's shores according to the Minister.
“We are telling the business population that there are various products and processes we can show them and all they have to do is to visit Bangladesh or at least if they cannot visit, knock on the door of our mission and they will help them to find the right path,” he said.
Alam said they would be taking the exhibition to other parts of the country including Cape Town, Durban and other major cities in order to reach out to as many business people as possible.
And despite the challenges faced by South Africa, Alam said this did not deter the country from seeking to encourage businesses to partner with them as every country was having a tough time.
“Everyone is going through a tough time even in Bangladesh. Our industries are suffering from shortages of gas but it is temporary. To many, the worst is yet to come but we believe that it is for the South African government to manage just as we are finding our ways.”
"Businesses in Bangladesh don't travel to unknown territories and vice versa so we as governments need to handhold them and let them know of the potential there and that will hopefully gear them up and increase the volume of products we do daily."
Pretoria News