Apparel makers want to open outlets in UK
Leaders of the newly formed UK Bangladesh Catalysts of Commerce and Industry Ltd yesterday demanded that the government allow the transfer of money to invest in opening showrooms for clothing items in the UK.
“The government should allow garment exporters to invest 5-10 percent of their export value on opening showrooms in the UK, as there is a big market in that country,” said Iqbal Ahmed, chairman of the platform.
“If the government allows opening showrooms, country branding will also take place in the UK,” Ahmed said in a meeting with Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed, president of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), at the latter's office in Dhaka.
A total of 400 million pound sterling was invested by the non-resident Bangladeshis in the UK through establishment of NRB Bank in Bangladesh, said Iqbal Ahmed, who is also the chairman of the bank.
“We also want a special economic zone in Sylhet so that people from Sylhet who live in England can invest there.”
“We have huge opportunities to attract UK investment in Bangladesh. We want more cooperation from the government,” said Bajloor Rashid, president of the new platform.
Rashid, also a former president of Bangladesh Caterers Association in England, said a total of 12,000 restaurants are in operation in the UK that are run by Bangladeshi people.
The FBCCI president said he will urge the government to establish a special economic zone in Sylhet. “You can also invest in the tourism sector in Bangladesh."
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