BTC opens in Port of Spain November 27

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Munima Sultana
The first ever Bangladesh Trade Centre (BTC) in a foreign country will be opened in the capital of Trinidad and Tobago, Port of Spain, on November 27 to find out the country's new trade and investment opportunities.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to inaugurate the centre when she attends the commonwealth summit in the country from November 27 to 29.
The Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) approved the proposal during its 126th meeting on Monday and hoped that it will be the country's first offshore enterprise for marketing and exploring new markets. Commerce Minister Faruk Khan chaired the meeting.
Officials said the BTC will be equipped with all business and investment related information including the country's exportable items, lists of exporters, export and import policy and data.
They said it will also be equipped with the country's other information including history, tradition and culture.
The trade centre has been set up on a 1000 sqf space, which provided free of cost by Bangladesh's honorary consul general for five years, the official added.
The government took the decision to open the BTC in Trinidad and Tobago to facilitate Caribbean traders with doorstep information.
The Commerce Ministry in its website also referred that it would offer the country a unique opportunity to engage with Bangladesh in an off-the-shelf manner.
The BTC will have a well-stocked warehouse to cater to the daily needs of the local distributors and retailers, it added.
The EPB meeting attended by all governing body members took some decisions including signing a memorandum of understanding during Sri Lankan President's upcoming visit to Dhaka. It also decided to hold 37 seminars on 17 topics and implement 52 inhouse programmes during 2009-2010 fiscal.
Commerce Secretary Firoz Ahmed and EPB Vice Chairman Md Shahabullah also attended the meeting.