Entrepreneurs talk investments with Danish team

A matchmaking event that was attended yesterday by local entrepreneurs and a group of the visiting Danish businesspeople, specialised in renewable energy, opened up a scope of investments in energy-starved Bangladesh.
About 45 local energy and waste management companies had talks with the representatives from 10 Danish companies to have clean technology from their counterparts to produce energy from alternative sources.
“We're ready to receive Danish technology to produce and generate renewable energy. It has great demand at this moment as our customers are suffering heavily for frequent power outages,” Anisur Rahman, senior manager of a renewable energy firm in Dhaka, said after the meeting.
The Danish Embassy in Dhaka and the Confederation of Danish Industries organised the meeting at Westin Dhaka.
Commerce Minister Faruk Khan, who inaugurated the event, urged the Danish to invest in the wind energy sector.
“Bangladesh has a long coastal belt across its southern part, while Danish companies have most sophisticated wind energy technology. Your wind energy firms can invest in this sector, which could be a great source of energy for Bangladesh,” Khan told the visiting team.
Dr Towfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury, adviser to the prime minister, also pointed out that Bangladesh has challenges in energy and power production where Denmark can invest.
“The market is ready for about 150 million consumers and demand is increasing day by day for which investment in renewable and clean energy would be a safe and secured sector in Bangladesh,” Chowdhury said.
Danish Minister for Development Cooperation Soren Pind said Danish companies focus on energy and clean technology where both the Bangladeshi and Danish companies have much interest.
He said Denmark has for decades been a world leader in renewable energy, clean technology, waste water management and the Danish companies can offer technical know-how and invest in such sector in Bangladesh.
Pind praised Bangladesh labour force for its competitive wages and skills.
He hoped that Bangladesh, which emerged as a major apparel exporter, has every potential for many other sectors
The Danish minister assured that his country would extend its support in developing the private sector as Denish companies already formed an alliance with 70 Bangladeshi firms.
AM Hamim Rahmatullah, president of the Foreign Investors' Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and Dr SA Samad, executive chairman of the Board of Investment, were also present at the meeting.