Photo: Courtesy
Metropolis Report –
Terming the readymade garment (RMG) industry as the most success story of Bangladesh, Spanish Ambassador in Dhaka Francisco de Asís Benítez Salas said that Spain, as single country, is the fourth largest customer of Bangladesh.
He said this while speaking at the orientation ceremony of the new members and executive committee members of the Spain Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SBCCI) at city hotel on Tuesday.
Bangladesh exported goods worth US$ 3,166,370,397.84 to Spain in 2021 as against US$ 2,343,988,443.37 in 2020 registering 35 per cent growth in exports, according to the Export Promotion Bureau of Bangladesh.
Spain, as a single, is today the fourth largest customer of Bangladesh, where the biggest number of environmentally textile factories are located. Out commercial and trade relations are concentrated in the RMG sector, which is working well”, he said.
As a single country, Spain is the fourth largest customer of Bangladesh, with imports worth almost three billion euro a year.
“Our commercial relations are concentrated mainly in the RMG sector and that is working very well. However, our yearly exports to Bangladesh are still quite low, barely reaching 200 million euro. There is, therefore, a great potential for an increase in our commercial exchanges’, he said.
“Our main target for the coming years is not only to increase our exports, thereby trying to improve the existing imbalance, but also to diversify our commercial relations beyond the RMG sector, he said.
Francisco Benítez also said that Spain has offered Bangladesh to develop the tourism sector of the South Asian country as the EU country has vast success in the sector.
Tourism is the biggest industry in Spain, sharing 11 per cent of its GDP. In 2018, tourist arrivals in Spain reached 82.8 million (+1.1% compared to 2017), generating EUR 89.8 billion in international receipts (+3.3% compared to 2017). Travel exports represented 52.3% of total service exports in 2018.
“The tourism of Bangladesh has immense and untapped potentials which can bring a new avenue for Spanish and Bangladesh companies for investment,” said Francisco de Asís Benítez Salas.
Bangladesh is planning to complete the first-ever tourism master plan by December 2022 to build a sustainable tourism industry attracting more inbound and domestic tourists.
Bangladesh has set a target of attracting 10 million tourists and earning a revenue of $8 billion by 2041.
Francisco de As-s Ben-tez Salas has said that Madrid is ready to go into ‘More In-depth Cooperation’ as Bangladesh and Spain are reviewing its 50-year bilateral relationship.
He also said “Bangladesh has a very active, innovative, well trained and internationally connected business community, whose men and women are always working tirelessly in pursuit of excellency”
“Today nobody is escaping the adverse effects of the current international situation. We are all flying with headwinds. But this should not discourage us from continuing our work. After all, crises bring opportunities, “the Spain diplomat said.
He also lauded the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh as Bangladesh has contained the corona pandemic successfully recording one of the highest economic growths in the region.
“Today the people of Bangladesh have achieved so many successes and are determined to achieve many more. The Bangladesh of today, with the inspiration of its traditions and cultural heritage, is a country of great leaders, started with Bangabandhu”. His legacy is carried on by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, a leader with wide international projection and immense world reputation– the Mother of Humanity who is tirelessly advocating for peace specially in today’s difficult international context.”
“If we look into back and put things into perspective, we see where Bangladesh started after a terrible war of liberation, in which so many gave their lives, including many of the best minds, talents, well-trained people. But let us not forget all those who sacrificed themselves. Their memory is essential to understand today’s successful Bangladesh and keep the way forward” the diplomat said.
“Bangladesh is a country of great poets, architects, musicians, professors, academicians, scientists, sports men and women, researchers in different disciplines,” he said.
The Spanish diplomat praised the economic success of Bangladesh since independence as both countries are celebrating 50 years of diplomatic relations this year.
Both Spain and Bangladesh celebrated 50 years of diplomatic relations. Today, Bangladesh and Spain enjoy excellent relations of friendship and cooperation.
He also said that Spain has also a great defence industry, including military hardware, navy ship building and advanced military technology.
The recent opening of a commercial office in our embassy and the existence of a Bangladesh-Spain Chamber of Commerce in Dhaka reflect this potential.
Since the opening of our Embassy in Dhaka in 2008, we have been trying to identify business opportunities in Bangladesh and making the Bangladeshi market better known to Spanish companies of different sectors.
Parallelly, we build awareness about Spanish companies among the Bangladeshi business community and establish contacts so that they can explore opportunities.
In the energy sector, we have some examples of Spanish companies carrying out projects in Bangladesh. Técnicas Reunidas (TR), for instance, is one of them.
A big company with an extensive international record, they built, with TSK (another Spanish company), two power plants in Ashuganj, in 2014-2017. Now, TR is working on another project in Chittagong.
Técnica y Proyectos, SA (TYPSA) is another important Spanish company with a very successful record of activities in Bangladesh, having been awarded important infrastructure projects by the government.
The business and investment climate in Bangladesh has improved significantly in the last few years.
However, more needs to be done and there is still considerable room for improvement.
In the EU Embassies group, we are working closely with the government and with the business community to make the business environment more attractive to foreign investment so that companies, both local and foreign, may benefit from the potential of the Bangladeshi market, thereby creating jobs and contributing to the prosperity of the country.
Spain Bangladesh Chamber Of Commerce And Industry (SBCCI) Ashik Elahi Chowdhury and Commercial Attaché of Spain embassy Francisco Javier Yapes also spoke on the occasion.
