Invest in power, energy, shipbuilding

PM urges Swedish businessmen

17 June 2010, 18:00 PM

Unb, Dhaka

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged Swedish businessmen to invest in the power, energy and shipbuilding sectors in Bangladesh. The prime minister made the appeal during her meeting with the outgoing Swedish ambassador Britt Falkman Hagstorm at Ganobhaban. She said the Swedish businessmen could invest in renewable energy, power generation, oil, gas and mineral exploration, ICT, tourism, telecommunications, roads and highways, agro industry, leather, textiles, electronics, and significantly in shipbuilding sectors. Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Abul Kalam Azad briefed reporters after the meeting. Hasina requested the ambassador to help Bangladesh in facilitating work for skilled professionals in EU and in Sweden. She mentioned that Sweden could support development of institutions to train and develop skilled professionals as nurses, medical aides and caregivers, as well as hotel and hospitality professionals with mechanisms for employing them in Sweden and other EU countries. She also stressed the expansion of trade between the two countries. In 2008-09 fiscal, exports from Bangladesh to Sweden totaled $221 million. She mentioned that Sweden could import more woven garments, knitwear, footwear, special textiles, handicrafts, shrimps, ceramics, small and medium-sized ships, and pharmaceuticals. Hasina thanked Sweden for keeping Bangladesh in its shortlist of August 2007 for assistance, which has been targeting rural development, primary and non-formal education, primary health care, and institutionalisation of the democratic process. She sought scholarships for youths and urged more intensified cooperation in culture and tourism by making hotels and resorts with encouragement for Swedish tourists. The prime minister also sought Sweden's support for Bangladesh's position on climate change at the upcoming COP16 in Mexico this year. She urged Swedish support for climate change adaptation and mitigation programmes with financing and transfer of eco-friendly technology. She told the Swedish ambassador that for the very first time the country is going to adopt an education policy. She also mentioned that her government is working hard to strengthen democracy in the country. She thanked the donor countries, including Sweden, and agencies for their support in restoring democracy in the country and their assistance for the voter list project, as well as procurement of transparent ballot boxes. Hagstrom hailed the role of the prime minister for her leadership in the climate change issue. In this connection she mentioned how Bangladesh and Sweden have jointly created a bilateral fund worth $11 million. She said she is very much impressed at the hospitality of the people of the country. Ambassador-at-large M Ziauddin was present during the meeting.