DCCI stresses direct connectivity between Ctg-Ranong sea ports

Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) President Rizwan Rahman has called for establishing a direct connectivity between Chattogram and Ranong sea ports to increase existing trade volume between Bangladesh and Thailand.

Mr Rahman said this during a meeting with Makawadee Sumitmor, ambassador of Thailand in Dhaka, at the DCCI on Tuesday.

During the meeting, DCCI president said the bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Thailand reached US$837.06 million in 2019-20.

Bangladesh's total export to Thailand was only $35.46 million whereas import from Thailand was $801.3 million in 2020.

Export from Bangladesh experienced an upward trend in 2021 as it reached $39 million from $35.46 million in 2020, said Mr Rahman.

In terms of FDI stock in Bangladesh, Thailand is the 15th largest investor in this country but there are huge untapped opportunities for Thai investors, especially in the areas of infrastructure, automotive and light engineering, agro and food processing and tourism and health services, said the DCCI president.

He also requested the ambassador to relocate Thai labour-intensive industries to Bangladesh.

He further said that bilateral FTA or PTA would facilitate increasing trade and investment.

During the meeting, Thai Ambassador Makawadee Sumitmor said that there was still a trade gap between the two friendly countries.

The expansion of the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral route will boost trade in this region, she said.

The envoy informed that the Thai embassy in Dhaka will organise a roadshow next year to celebrate 50 years of the diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and Thailand.

As the Covid cases are relatively coming down, the Thai government is planning to open the country step by step and by next two months it will be possible to open the borders fully, said the ambassador.

DCCI Vice President Monowar Hossain was also present at the meeting.