Feature: Bangladesh businesses see opportunities in CIIE

DHAKA, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- "We want to explore this opportunity, and also we want to grab this (Chinese) market potentiality," Eleash Mridha, the managing director of Bangladesh's leading business group Pran, told Xinhua ahead of the China International Import Expo (CIIE).

The CIIE is the world's first import-themed national-level expo, and its fifth edition will be held in Shanghai on Nov. 5-10.

Pran, the largest agribusiness and plastic product manufacturer in Bangladesh, currently exports goods to 145 countries, and it has decided to expand its footprints in China, said Mridha, noting that the CIIE offers an excellent platform for global companies to explore and expand in the Chinese market.

Pran will exhibit its products in the CIIE, said Mridha. "I hope that Chinese consumers will enjoy our taste and our quality products."

He told Xinhua that the products they are producing through the Chinese equipment are in line with global standards.

"We've been acquiring a lot of equipment from China as well as we are bringing a lot of Chinese technology to our country to enrich our industrial growth," said the official, adding that they are working with many big Chinese companies since long.

According to Mridha, his company buys equipment from these Chinese companies, and they send their people to train Pran staffs.

"Also, we've sent our people to China for training," he added.

Mridha said the CIIE, or whatever the Chinese government is going to organize, "we appreciate it."

As the fifth CIIE is in the final preparation stage, Al Mamun Mridha, acting secretary general of the Bangladesh China Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCCI), said it presents huge opportunities that have kept the world economy rolling during hard times, showing China's sense of obligation and responsibility towards the world.

Acknowledging China has taken a zero-tariff treatment for 98 percent of taxable items exported to China from Bangladesh, the BCCCI official said he hopes more Bangladeshi businessmen will take the opportunity to increase exports to China.

Official data shows that the bilateral trade volume between China and Bangladesh grew to more than 25 billion U.S. dollars last year, registering a growth rate of 58 percent. Bangladesh's export to China exceeded 1 billion dollars for the first time last year.

The BCCCI official voiced his expectation that there will be more and more contact between the two peoples and their businesses of the two friendly countries.

"I request more and more Bangladeshi companies to join this great platform and to take advantage of the global business community that you may find in this very occasion," he said.

"I wish the CIIE all the success and all our best wishes are with you," said the official.