Export to Turkey to reach $1.0b soon

FE Report brCommerce adviser Hossain Zillur said Monday the country's export to Turkey will reach US$1.0 billion in near future as Istanbul has shown keen interest to boost trade and commerce with Dhaka.brTurkey is highly interested to boost trade with Bangladesh, said Dr. Zillur after a week-long visit to the European country where he met with Turkish state-minister for trade and other business leaders.brBoth the countries agreed to implement a number of decisions like introduction of direct flight between Istanbul and Dhaka by April next year and a meeting of joint-working group by that time.brDr. Zillur said Bangladesh exported goods worth $350 million to Turkey until August 2008 compared to $120 million in 2007.brSome 113 Turks visited the capital in 2007. But until this period of the year the number of visitors from that country rose to 935.brTurkey, the 17th largest economy in the world, could be gateway for Bangladesh to both Europe and the Central Asia for its strategic location, he said.brThe adviser said Turkey, which stands between Europe and the Central Asian countries like Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan, is third largest nation in worldwide contracting business.brDue to construction boom in the Central Asian countries the Turkish contracting firms are keen to hire manpower from Bangladesh, he said, adding it could be a new market for the country's manpower business.brDr Zillur hoped that the country would be able to export products like medicine, handicrafts and ceramic to Turkey. He said export of local rubber to Turkey awaits the certification of Japanese tyre manufacturer Bridgestone. brTurkey's total import stood at $162.1 billion in 2007.br