"The new product, 'Trade Up', is a full package for facilitating export-import business, and it will simultaneously help make a business platform for both local and international exporters and importers," said Md Mahbub-ur-Rahman, head of Corporate Banking of HSBC, Bangladesh.

Under the package, businesses will get a maximum Tk 3.5 crore loan facility for trading through L/C (letter of credit), he said while talking to a group of reporters yesterday in Dhaka.

The bank has already introduced an import-related product styled 'Tradeline' to support backward linkage small and medium industries and got considerable responses from local customers, according to Mahbub.

With eight branches, HSBC now commands 7 percent market share in Bangladesh in terms of handling export-import trade.

"We have strong banking network in the countries to where Bangladesh exports and from where it imports raw materials for export purposes," Mahbub said, adding that HSBC's worldwide network will help the local businesspeople open L/Cs faster and export within shorter lead time.

The country's readymade garment (RMG) sector has a number of backward linkage industries, which will be benefited by the new product, he said. However, entrepreneurs from other sectors will also get assistance of the bank if they want to take advantage of the product, he added.

HSBC operates in 82 countries across the world with 10,000 offices. The bank had $1861 billion in assets until December last year.

Mustafizur R Khan, head of Marketing & Public Relations, and M Sami Hafiz, manager of Public Relations and Corporate Social Responsibility, were also present.