The country's business leaders will request Chinese entrepreneurs to come up with large-scale investments in the special economic zones (SEZs) in Bangladesh during their upcoming visit to China.
"We will call upon the Chinese entrepreneurs to invest money and develop their industries here. We will promise to give them an industrial park or a special economic zone," Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) president of the Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed told a press meet at its conference room Sunday after returning from Japan.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to fly to China on June 6, 2014 on a five-day official visit. An FBCCI delegation, led by its president, will go to China on June 4.
Mr Ahmed said there might be a positive outcome regarding the deep-sea port to be built on Sonadia Island near Cox's Bazar during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's China visit.
China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC), a subsidiary of state-owned China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCC), has shown interest in financing and constructing the port, which is expected to boost the country's GDP growth by 2 per cent.
The FBCCI president said they favoured investment of undisclosed money in education and human resource development with 'certain conditions'.
He informed that the local businessmen would attend China-South Asia Business Forum and China-South Asia Expo in Kunming to discuss issues relating to investments and expansion of trade between the two countries.
"We will also have a meeting with business leaders in Beijing. We will tell them that Bangladesh is a safe destination for investment," he added.
"Japan imports apparel products worth US$ 31.78 billion. The country takes only 1.77 per cent of its total apparel imports from Bangladesh," Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) president M Atiqul Islam said.
He said Bangladesh's exports might reach US$ 50 billion within a year if the country could grab 10 per cent share of Japan's total imports.
He said Bangladeshi businessmen had requested their Japanese counterparts to import more from Bangladesh and raise the volume to 10 per cent to minimise the huge trade gap (almost 50 per cent) that now prevailed in favour of Japan.
FBCCI first vice president Monwara Hakim Ali, vice president M Helal Uddin, BGMEA president M Atiqul Islam, among others, were present.
