BD for direct shipping link to boost trade

News was prepared under the information support of Online Daily Newspaper on Hellenic and international Shipping "Hellenic Shipping News".

30 Jun 2008

Bangladesh Deputy High Commissioner Saquib Ali has said sizeable garment orders from the EU and US are moving from China to Bangladesh and therefore in the near future a robust growth of textile exports from Pakistan to Bangladesh will open more avenues for both countries. During a meeting with members of the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), he informed the trade volume between Bangladesh and Pakistan was $350 million, which included $80 million worth of jute and tea exports by Dhaka and $270 million textile/fabric exports from Pakistan.
There existed a great momentum for building and promoting trade relations between the two countries, but the major problem was lack of a direct shipping link to which he suggested to the KCCI to take up the issue with the government to formulate a policy on an urgent basis.
KCCI Sub-Committee Chairman Arshad Islam praised the role of the Bangladeshi government and High Commission in promoting bilateral trade between the two countries.
He said South Asia could only progress if free interaction between the business community in particular and common people in general continued and if the two nations supported each other, made joint ventures, enhanced economic cooperation and boosted bilateral trade. “Pakistan and Bangladesh have enough potential and this must be utilised by the business community of both countries,” he added.
During the meeting, it was decided to form a committee to prepare the requisite concept paper. The body comprised the Bangladesh deputy high commissioner, KCCI Senior Vice President Iftikhar Ahmed Sheikh and KCCI’s Diplomatic Affairs Committee Vice Chairman Mohammad A Rajpar.
It was decided that the committee would have the power to co-opt anyone necessary. It would also call on Director General (Ports & Shipping) Vice Admiral Asad Qureshi in order to seek his participation and support.
The deputy high commissioner requested the KCCI members to communicate him their problems and assured them of full assistance and cooperation.