Finnish companies eager to invest in Bangladesh

Companies based in Finland want to be Bangladesh's development partners as they are eager to invest in the country's energy, smart city development and port management sectors.

"We are here to strengthen bilateral relations with Bangladesh. We have opportunities to work, particularly in areas of economic and technical cooperation," said Ritva Koukku-Ronde, Finnish ambassador to Bangladesh, at a discussion in a Dhaka hotel on Monday.

"Finnish companies can invest here in the energy, smart city and port management sectors," she said, seeking support from the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) for the expansion of bilateral trade.

In keeping with the goal of becoming a prosperous country by 2041, Bangladesh is going through an infrastructural transformation where modern technology, technical skills and adequate financing are required to ensure sustainable development, the FBCCI said in a statement.

The FBCCI and Finnish embassy in Dhaka jointly organised the seminar on Finland's "Smart Infrastructure Day: Building Bangladesh".

"Bangladesh always considers Finland as a development partner. Finnish companies are highly rich in industrial equipment, port management and the energy sector," said FBCCI President Md Jashim Uddin.

"I believe their experiences and technologies can help Bangladesh in its development journey," he added.

Regarding the local market size, Uddin said Bangladesh is going to be 9th largest consumer market in the world.

"So, there are opportunities for Finnish companies here," he added while referring to an HSBC report.

Finnish companies Nokia, Wärtsilä, Elematic and Konecranes and Bangladeshi companies Summit Group, Bashundhara Group, Gemcon Group and Cosmos Group presented their business profile and plans at the seminar.