Bangladesh to offer one-year multiple visa to businessmen

Personal appearance will not be required for getting visa.

FAISALABAD:
Bangladesh will start offering one-year multiple visa to businessmen very soon in order to give a boost to business ties with Pakistan, says the ambassador of Bangladesh.

Speaking at the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) on Tuesday, Suhrab Hossain said businessmen would not be required to personally appear for the visa and only a recommendation letter of the FCCI for the applicants would suffice.

Highlighting the potential for joint ventures and investment in the manufacturing industry and agriculture in Bangladesh, he said government’s policies were very conducive along with cheap labour, uninterrupted electricity and gas supply, a flood of incentives and preferential treatment to foreign investors.

Elaborating, the ambassador said import duty on raw material was very low, foreign investors got five-year tax holiday and industrial and agricultural sectors received much more importance from the government as Bangladesh economy was growing.



He pointed out that Pakistan was historically strong in textile manufacturing and Bangladesh was also gaining strength in readymade garments with special edge coming from the European Union’s Generalised System of Preferences (GSP) scheme.


He told businessmen that Bangladesh embassy was ready to lend every support for setting up and relocating industries to Bangladesh.

He highlighted other potential areas for investment and joint ventures, which included electrical appliances, information technology, sports goods, pharmaceutical products and ceramics.

Responding to a proposal, Hossain agreed that single-country exhibitions could be planned in Faisalabad, Lahore and Karachi for increasing bilateral trade and economic activities between the two countries.

The ambassador pointed out that the Bangladesh government had focused attention on providing education, particularly to women, and was also planning population control.

In response to another proposal, he said he would try his best to ensure that the Bangladesh cricket team visit Pakistan.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 12th, 2012.
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