Bangladesh should focus on business climate: EU envoy

The transition to the Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) Plus scheme would bring a lot of challenges and opportunities for Bangladesh and that is why the country needs to focus on business climate, said Charles Stuart Whiteley, ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Bangladesh, on Sunday.

Congratulating officials of the Chattogram port and Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) for launching direct ship services with Italy, he said it would strengthen Bangladesh’s connectivity with European countries.

“This is a new beginning in the trade relationship with European countries. I hope Bangladesh will become a regional trade hub like Singapore and Hong Kong,” he said at a function organised on the occasion of starting direct ship services between Europe and the Chattogram port.

Among others, BGMEA and Chattogram port officials were present at the meeting at the port building.

Charles said they were working with the Bangladesh government and business organisations to increase trade.

“We are working hard with various ministries. There are discussions to overcome obstacles to good trading relations,” he added.

Garment entrepreneurs said the capacity and expansion of the Chattogram port had greatly helped to improve Bangladesh’s business environment.

After the meeting, port officials, the EU and Italian ambassadors, and the BGMEA delegation inspected the container loading activities of MV Sanga Cheetha at the new mooring container terminal jetty.

Italian Ambassador to Bangladesh Enrico Nunziata described the direct connectivity between Italy’s Ravenna port and the one in Chattogram as a milestone in trade between the two countries.

He said this connectivity has many possibilities and expectations.

Garment factory owners, buyers, and retailers would all benefit from the direct shipping services, he also said.

“It is a pilot service, and the Chattogram Port has the responsibility to encourage other operators to use this service,” he added.

Chittagong Port Authority Chairman Rear Admiral M Shahjahan said the port had shown surprising performance in the last one year as there was no crisis of ships or containers.

He said the port’s Patenga container terminal would come into operation soon, and international standard operators would be recruited there.

“All modern equipment, including gantry cranes, will be there,” he added.

The Bay Terminal is being constructed within six kilometres of the port, which will be able to accommodate ships with a depth of more than 12 metres and are able to carry 4,000-5,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEU) containers.

With the construction of the terminal, an additional 4.5 million TEU containers can be loaded and unloaded.

“A deep sea port is also being constructed in Matarbari where ships with a depth of 18 metres can dock. These ships will be able to carry 8,000-10,000 (TEU) containers. The Chattogram port will then become a regional transport hub,” Shahjahan said.

BGMEA President Faruque Hassan said the Chattogram port’s capacity would be expanded.

“We can now dream of exporting clothes worth $100 billion, and the port would be able to handle that well.”