Bangladeshi companies can compete to build abroad
Munima Sultana | Wednesday, 2 July 2008
Bangladesh now has the capacity to build big, bridges to cross the rivers, power plants, or state-of-the-art industry and high-end infrastructure. Once it was hard to believe.
The 2nd and 3rd bridges on the Buriganga and a number of new five-star hotels in Dhaka amply speak of this.
Local and foreign investors now know what Bangladesh can do. They know about its ability to build not only locally but also abroad, said experts at the just-concluded exhibition on construction materials. The three-day exhibition, organised by Bangladesh Association of Construction Industry (BACI), concluded on Monday. In all 33 construction firms took part.
The exhibition, first of its kind, provided the country's construction industry the opportunity for interaction needed to develop new and alternative supply sources, networking between like-minded groups and finding out, to capitalise on new products and services, said Sheikh Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, convener of the exhibition committee.
Speaking at the exhibition, GA Khan, Secretary General of BACI said the event provided the platform to meet to all the groups that achieved successes in construction, are looking for the Bangladeshi experts to share knowledge and improve the sector.
"It was to develop a platform and ground for fair business dealings among the interested people," he said hinting at the problems of unusual rise of construction materials which hit the construction industry.
He told FE that the exhibition was organised to get the ideas for finding solutions to different construction problems and new ideas to pave the way for the industry.
Many local companies now have both technical and financial capacity to compete internationally, Mr Khan said. The sector needs banking and insurance support to compete to get overseas work, he said.
It would help the country diversify its export earning, he said.
The exhibition provided a better understanding of the progress of the sector. It brought under one roof the players of the sector, prior to holding the 37th convention of International Federation of Asian and Western Pacific Contractors' Association (IFAWPCA). The convention, to be held next year in Dhaka, internationally reputed companies of 15 IFAWPCA member countries are expected to take part, said the organisers.
Mr Khan said the BACI will organise a number of events before the convention so that the foreign clients can get a first hand idea of the sector's diverse capabilities. And the country would benefit out of it.
A number of foreign visitors got an idea of the progress Bangladesh achieved in the construction from this exhibition.
"The exhibition was a starter to focus on the growing and challenging issues facing the construction industry. It gave the participants and visitors a comprehensive perspective of the changes that had taken place and future potentials of the sector," the BACI Secretary General said.
It provided an opportunity to the common people to know about the important aspects of the construction, which they usually overlook while dealing with the real estate companies to buy a home or office, he said.
The 2nd and 3rd bridges on the Buriganga and a number of new five-star hotels in Dhaka amply speak of this.
Local and foreign investors now know what Bangladesh can do. They know about its ability to build not only locally but also abroad, said experts at the just-concluded exhibition on construction materials. The three-day exhibition, organised by Bangladesh Association of Construction Industry (BACI), concluded on Monday. In all 33 construction firms took part.
The exhibition, first of its kind, provided the country's construction industry the opportunity for interaction needed to develop new and alternative supply sources, networking between like-minded groups and finding out, to capitalise on new products and services, said Sheikh Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, convener of the exhibition committee.
Speaking at the exhibition, GA Khan, Secretary General of BACI said the event provided the platform to meet to all the groups that achieved successes in construction, are looking for the Bangladeshi experts to share knowledge and improve the sector.
"It was to develop a platform and ground for fair business dealings among the interested people," he said hinting at the problems of unusual rise of construction materials which hit the construction industry.
He told FE that the exhibition was organised to get the ideas for finding solutions to different construction problems and new ideas to pave the way for the industry.
Many local companies now have both technical and financial capacity to compete internationally, Mr Khan said. The sector needs banking and insurance support to compete to get overseas work, he said.
It would help the country diversify its export earning, he said.
The exhibition provided a better understanding of the progress of the sector. It brought under one roof the players of the sector, prior to holding the 37th convention of International Federation of Asian and Western Pacific Contractors' Association (IFAWPCA). The convention, to be held next year in Dhaka, internationally reputed companies of 15 IFAWPCA member countries are expected to take part, said the organisers.
Mr Khan said the BACI will organise a number of events before the convention so that the foreign clients can get a first hand idea of the sector's diverse capabilities. And the country would benefit out of it.
A number of foreign visitors got an idea of the progress Bangladesh achieved in the construction from this exhibition.
"The exhibition was a starter to focus on the growing and challenging issues facing the construction industry. It gave the participants and visitors a comprehensive perspective of the changes that had taken place and future potentials of the sector," the BACI Secretary General said.
It provided an opportunity to the common people to know about the important aspects of the construction, which they usually overlook while dealing with the real estate companies to buy a home or office, he said.