DCCI roundtable focuses on investment in private sector

DCCI roundtable focuses on investment in private sector

Star Business Desk

Bangladesh has an opportunity to diversify exports and explore new markets as the Netherlands offers three-tier joint-venture investment in the private sector, said speakers at a seminar in Dhaka yesterday.

The seminar — Business to Business (B2B) Support Programmes for Private Sector Development — was co-organised by Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) and the Netherlands Embassy in Bangladesh at the DCCI conference room.

Presently, the government of Netherlands offers a number of programmes to develop the private sector in Bangladesh.

The Netherlands Agency for International Business Cooperation (EVD) is offering funds to support local entrepreneurs in IT, shipbuilding, jute, poultry, pharmaceuticals and fisheries.

The Private Sector Investment Programme (PSI) offers a maximum grant of 750,000 euros to establish an innovative joint venture with Dutch business partners. The Match Making Facility assists local companies to find suitable business partners in the Netherlands.

The PUM programme offers short-term consultancy and the ORIO Programme aims to improve public infrastructure with Dutch Support.

DCCI President Abul Kasem Khan chaired the function, where the Ambassador of the Netherlands Alphons JAJMG Hennekens, and Vice President of the chamber M Shahjahan Khan also spoke.

The DCCI chief described the PST scheme as most important for entrepreneurs as 11 projects under the PSI programme are now being implemented in Bangladesh.

Emphasising the government’s target to make Bangladesh a middle-income country by 2021, Hennekens said the private sector is the engine of economic growth.

“To develop the potential of Bangladesh as an emerging market, the level of foreign and local investment has to increase,” he added.

“Our aim is to support the Bangladeshi government to become a middle income country by 2021 and achieve the millennium development goals,” he added.

Netherlands Agency for International Business and Cooperation (EVD) Project Officer Paul Schoenmakers presented the keynote paper on ‘Investing in Bangladesh with the Netherlands’.

source:http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=133291