Bangladesh seeks French investment in major sectors

Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen has urged French investors to invest in Bangladesh with focus on infrastructure, renewable energy, waste management and ICT sectors.

He made the call when he participated at Bangladesh-France Economic Forum organised by the Senate of France in Paris on Tuesday.  

Representatives of the private sector from both Bangladesh and France, as well as representatives from the relevant government organizations like Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA), Ministry of Commerce, Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority and relevant French agencies,  participated at the half-day long event.

The Foreign Minister explained the advantages that Bangladesh offers as an investment destination like infrastructure for setting up industries, FDI-friendly regulations, one-stop services, ease of remittance of profit, availability of skilled workforce at very competitive wages etc.

Dr Momen highlighted the successes of Bangladesh in becoming a middle-income country and the roadmap to become a developed country, while ensuring that the economic and social development takes place in an inclusive manner, leaving no one behind.

Ambassador of Bangladesh in Paris Kazi Imtiaz Hossain, Senator Jacky Deromedi and Senator Jerome Durain of French Senate as well as representatives of French Ministry of Europe and Foreign Ministry of France, Embassy of France in Dhaka, French Development Cooperation Agency, Business France and MEDEF International also participated at the event.

Earlier, Foreign Minister Dr Momen held a meeting with Jean Baptiste Lemoyne, State Secretary, Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, who is also in charge of French trade and investment, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Tuesday.      

He highlighted the achievements of Bangladesh during the last one decade and called for French investment in Bangladesh.

Dr Momen referred to the already successful French investments and invited French business delegations to visit Bangladesh to assess the opportunities that Bangladesh offers to investors.

In the meeting with the French State Secretary, Foreign Minister Dr Momen also raised the issue of the Rohingya crisis, and requested France, along with other EU Members, to "exert pressure" on Myanmar for the early repatriation of the Rohingyas to their homeland in Rakhine State in safe, dignified and sustainable manner.

French State Secretary congratulated Foreign Minister Momen for the impressive achievements of Bangladesh in a sustainable and inclusive manner.

He expressed the appreciation of the French Government for the humanitarian stance of Bangladesh in providing shelter to the Rohingyas fleeing persecution from Rakhine State of Myanmar. State Secretary Lemoyne informed the Foreign Minister that he will lead a French business delegation to Bangladesh early next year.

The issue of climate change was also discussed in the bilateral meeting, and both Ministers agreed that Bangladesh and France would continue to work closely for addressing the challenges of climate change.

Dr Momen held meetings with the Business France and the Agence Française de Developpement (AFD) at the French Senate.

In both the meetings, he discussed the possibility of French investment in Bangladesh.

He also requested for helping Bangladesh in skills development – an area of investment that will create a pool of young and skilled workers which in turn will provide the potential French investors with the most important capital of all – human resources, thus creating a win-win situation for both Bangladesh and France.

Foreign Minister Dr Momen, who is on a three-day visit to Paris, participated at two community receptions organised by the expatriate Bangladesh community on 20 October 2019.

In both receptions, Dr Momen reiterated government's commitment to ensure expatriates welfare both at home and abroad