To offset the impact of quota phase-out from January 1 this year, the government has planned to seek fresh market for Bangladeshi goods, particularly readymade garment in some 29 exclusive destinations.

The new export markets the government is eyeing include the unexplored South American countries, where Bangladesh has no diplomatic missions.

‘Bangladeshi products can easily establish control over the market in these countries if we can start exporting our goods as per the demand of the respective markets,’ said the Export Promotion Bureau vice president Mir Shahabuddin Mohammad.

He pointed out that Bangladesh’s RMG sector could find its ‘survival destinations’ in these countries.

The country’s overall export has been facing a serious setback in the wake of the quota umbrella withdrawal as the export growth of RMG sector, the highest foreign currency earner, remained somewhat tepid in the last fiscal year.

EPB sources said that though the RMG sector posted an overall 16 per cent growth in the first half of the year 2005, the export growth of woven products, the core of RMG, marked a sharp decline. Apart from this, export of frozen food, leather, home textiles, bicycle and tea could not reach the target in the last fiscal (2004-05).

In such a circumstance, the Commerce Ministry and the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) are going to start negotiation with the Honorary Consuls General and Consuls of 29 countries to work out the modus operandi of starting export of Bangladeshi products to these destinations.

The negotiation, first of its kind, will formally begin in the city on Sunday (August 21) through the holding of a roundtable discussion with the Honorary Consuls General and Consuls of the 29 countries at a city hotel, a Commerce Ministry official told UNB.

The government side would strongly argue in favour of securing access for Bangladeshi products to the respective countries, the official said.

He further informed that they would also discuss with the envoys about the possible ways for attracting foreign investment from their countries.

Commerce Ministry sources said the ministry authorities in the meeting would make plea to the Consuls for duty-free access to some Bangladeshi products to the countries they represent.

EPB Vice-President Mir Shahabuddin Mohammad said: ‘The roundtable is the beginning of the negotiation… we’ll continue discussion with the envoys and send our delegations to the destinations and hold fairs there aiming to attract the importers.’

He said the country could not do anything worth mentioning in exporting goods to the 29 countries, as there were no diplomatic missions of Bangladesh for developing trade relationship.

‘But we still have opportunities to start exporting our products or expanding market in these countries through the Honorary Consuls Generals,’ Shahabuddin said.

Citing an example that Chile imports shrimp worth US$ 700 million annually, he said that through the envoys, Bangladesh could easily capture a big portion of the frozen food market of Chile.

The EPB chief executive said that a proposal for forming joint chamber of commerce with the South American countries would be put forward in the upcoming meet to commence business relationship with them.

‘Trade between Bangladesh and South American countries remains almost at zero level despite having great potential for our RMG, frozen foods, leather, raw jute and agriculture products,’ he said.

Ministry sources said the roundtable is expected to be participated by honorary consuls generals of Australia, Belgium, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, France (in Chittagong), Greece, Indonesia (in Chittagong), Italy (in Chittagong), Japan (in Chittagong), Republic of Korea (in Chittagong), Lebanon, Malaysia (in Chittagong), Republic of Maldives, Republic of Moldova, Malta, Malta (in Chittagong), Republic of Poland (in Chittagong), Romania, Russian Federation (in Chittagong), The Slovak Republic, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka (in Chittagong), Tanzania, Tunisia, Turkey (in Chittagong) and Uruguay.

Commerce Minister Altaf Hossain Chowdhury will be the chief guest at the roundtable with business leaders, including the RMG sector representatives, taking part.

END/UNB/SHR/SMR 1600 Hrs