Targets expanding export market
The government is planning to establish seven new commercial wings abroad aimed at expanding the country’s export market, officials of the commerce ministry said.
The government has also formed an inter-ministerial policy making and coordination committee to expedite activities of commercial wings of Bangladesh missions abroad along with providing directives to the wings for expanding the export market, they said.
The committee, formed on August 27 with commerce ministry senior secretary Hedayet ullah Al Mamoon as its head, will also examine the proposal of the Export Promotion Bureau for opening commercial wings in South Africa, Brazil, Sweden, Turkey, Indonesia, Singapore and Kunming in China to expand trade and commerce with those countries and nearby regions.
Considering the current volume of exports to those countries and future exports and trade potentialities between Bangladesh and those countries, the committee will suggest the government on opening new commercial wings, according to the decision of the ministry.
In addition, the government will also examine the possibility of establishing commercial wings in some other countries in which Bangladesh has potentials of expanding its export market, officials said.
Public administration ministry has already approved to set up five new commercial wings in Uzbekistan, Italy, Poland, Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, and Agartola in India, they said.
Currently, Bangladesh has 17 commercial wings abroad in Germany, United Kingdom, Washington and Los Angels in USA, France, Spain, Canada, Belgium, New Delhi and Kolkata in India, Japan, China, Iran, Australia, UAE, Myanmar, Russia, Malaysia and Switzerland.
The committee consists of additional secretaries each from ministries of commerce, foreign, expatriate welfare and overseas employment, finance, fisheries and livestock, agriculture, industries, labour and employment, shipping and information, vice chairman of EPB, a member of the National Board of Revenue and a representative from Bangladesh Bank will meet once a month to review the activities of commercial wings.
The coordination committee will also review the existing location of commercial wings in Tehran, Yangon and Canberra and will suggest relocating those to suitable places in the context of changed geopolitical and economic factors.
Commerce ministry will also form a management committee consisting of representatives from public and private sectors led by EPB vice-chairman to expedite export activities through the commercial wings, officials said.
It also instructed the commercial wings for sending monthly report timely to the commerce ministry, foreign ministry and EPB, they said.
The missions in which there are no commercial wings or economic councilor will appoint a focal point officer to look after the export activities.
According to EPB report, five commercial wings in Madrid, Berlin, Brussels, Beijing and Yangon achieved their export target in the fiscal year of 2013-14 while eight commercial wings in Washington, London, Paris, Ottawa, Tokyo, Canberra, Moscow, Kuala Lumpur and Geneva failed to achieve the target but exceeded the export volume than the last fiscal year.
On the other hand, New Delhi, Dubai and Tehran failed to achieve the target and lagged behind in the volume of export than the last year, it said. – See more at: http://newagebd.net/46548/govt-plans-to-establish-seven-new-commercial-wings-abroad/#sthash.h7fhaBjA.dpuf
-With New Age input
