FHM Humayan Kabir, back from Fiji
Fiji could be one of the major destinations for the overseas job seekers from Bangladesh as the pacific island country suffers from shortage of professionals like doctors, architects, agriculturists, and skilled construction and garment workers.
Besides, there are huge potentials for trade and businesses with Fiji as it has demands for pharmaceutical products, leather goods, IT products, ceramic products and readymade garment items.
Locals and Bangladeshi expatriates in Fiji recently told this correspondent while visiting Fiji early this month that the island country has not specialised hospitals and skilled manpower in those areas.
Moreover, the country offers an ample opportunity for the construction experts as it is undertaking a lot of development projects, they said.
Around 3,000 Bangladeshis live in different cities and the countryside of Fiji. Majority of them are working in garment factories, restaurants, hospitals and other service sectors.
Lutfor Rahman, a Bangladeshi expatriate working as the production manager at the Danam Fiji Limited in Lautoka city, said that there is a shortage of skilled manpower like doctors, architects, agriculturists, construction manpower, skilled garment workers and managers in Fiji.
"Since Bangladesh has a lot of skilled manpower in those areas, the country could send people having skills in the areas. For this, the government of Bangladesh needs to have a good deal with the Fijian government," he said.
Rachael Nath, a TV journalist in Fiji, said that her country has a shortage of specialist doctors, architects, agriculturists and skilled labour.
So, the governments of Bangladesh and Fiji could go for good economic ties for helping each other, she added.
Abdul Hamid, a Bangladeshi who owns a restaurant at Nadi city in Fiji, said that Fiji has huge land against its less population.
"If Bangladesh government can have a proper manpower export deal with Fiji, many Bangladeshi skilled and semi-skilled manpower can be exported here."
Avijit Chowdhury, a Bangladeshi expatriate and general manager of a Fijian power company Nabou Green Energy Limited, said he had been working in Fiji for about last 17 years.
"The Fiji's economy is growing fast. The country has lot of business and trade opportunities. If Bangladesh government can establish economic cooperation with this country, it can send manpower for jobs, export different products including drugs, ceramics, leathers goods, IT products etc."
Besides, the Bangladeshi investors can invest here especially in tourism and hotel businesses as the Fiji's nearly 40 per cent income is coming from the tourism sector, he opined.
Tourism is the highest income source of Fiji as it contributes nearly US$ 2.0 billion or around 35 per cent to the gross domestic product (GDP).
The population in Fiji is nearly 0.9 million whose the per capita GDP is US$ 5,589 (World Bank data of 2017).
Manjurul Islam, production manager of Danam Garment, said that Fiji has lot of unutilised land where Bangladeshi businessmen can invest to produce different types of crops.
A substantial number of agriculture labours could be sent from Bangladesh to Fiji for producing different crops there, he added.
Meanwhile, this correspondent visited an agri-farm at Lautoka in Fiji where five Bangladeshis started farming on 25 acres of land. They are producing pineapples, honey, sugarcane, dragon fruits and some other crops.
"Their initiatives have become fruitful giving a good signal for the agri-business in Fiji," said Avijit Chowdhury, a Bangladeshi expatriate.
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