Dutch govt ready to invest in Ctg projects

Our Correspondent

CHITTAGONG, Mar 17: The Dutch government is ready to help mitigate the waterlogging problem in Chittagong and also assist in garbage management and building sanitation facilities.

Head of Economic Affairs and Development Cooperation of the Embassy of the Netherlands in Dhaka Jeroen Steeghs stated the readiness at a meeting with the directors of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry on Thursday.

He visited the CCCI at the World Trade Centre in the city and had discussion with CCCI President Mahbubul Alam and Vice President Syed Jamal Ahmed on the bilateral issues and spheres of cooperation between Bangladesh and the Netherlands.

CCCI directors AKM Aktar Hossain and Anjan Shekhar Das and senior adviser of the Dutch Embassy's Economic Affairs Munnujan Khanam were present on the occasion. Mr Jeroen said Bangladesh is graduating from the least developed country (LDC) group to a developing one and it is a very good message to its people. To face the changed situation Bangladesh should now get

prepared to diversify its export basket. Bangladesh should also work out plans to ease the procedures to attract more foreign direct investment and frame an investment-friendly industrialisation policy to attract more investment from home and abroad.

CCCI president Mahbubul Alam said Bangladesh is now a development model for many countries and the government is working relentlessly to improve the investment environment further.

The government is providing the tax holiday facility, introduced one-stop service desk and many other investment facilities to attract FDI (foreign direct investment), he said.

He informed the Head of Economic Affairs and Development Cooperation

of the Dutch Embassy that there was huge investment potential for processing agro-products in the Chittagong Hill Tracts region which remains unexploited till today.

Mangoes, jackfruits, pineapples and guavas are produced in abundance in the three hill districts, which will draw huge export proceeds, if processed properly.

He also urged the envoy to help invest in the leather, jute goods and light engineering sectors under joint ventures by the Dutch and Bangladeshi investors.

The CCCI president also sought expert and technical cooperation of the

Dutch government in construction of the Chittagong Port's Bay

Terminal, which will contribute a lot to cargo handling at the prime seaport of Bangladesh.

CCCI Vice President Syed Jamal Ahmed thanked the guest for visiting the country's only World Trade Centre, a majestic venture of the CCCI.

[email protected]