UNB, Dhaka :
Canada has suggested Bangladesh to diversify its exports to Canada to further expand bilateral trade tries between the two countries.
“We want to expand our exports and we also encourage Bangladesh to diversify its exports to Canada just to enrich the trade relationship,” she told a media interaction at the Jatiya Press Club on Monday.
The value of bilateral merchandise trade has grown over three times from $478 million in 2003 to nearly $1.7 billion in 2012; and Canada now exports to Bangladesh nearly US$ 600 million.
Garment and textile products accounted for approximate 96 percent of Canada’s merchandise imports from Bangladesh.
She said they have not seen lots of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) by Canadian companies in Bangladesh and mentioned that they need to have a good regulatory regime in place.
Cruden said human resources are the biggest resources for Bangladesh, and laid emphasis on investing in education, especially technical and vocational training.
“We’re also providing support to improve technical and vocational training,” she said adding that it will help Bangladesh send medium and higher skilled manpower abroad.
Through development programmes, Canada is helping Bangladesh develop a better trained, better qualified, and more competent work force.
Specifically, Canada is providing 19.5 million dollars to improve the quality and effectiveness of Bangladesh’s technical and vocation education.
Cruden said with a better trained work force, there will be opportunities to move up the value chain as Bangladesh moves towards middle-income status.
On RMG sector’s improvement, she said there have been many positive events. For example, in the RMG sector, progress has continued on ensuring safe working conditions and the sector is safer today than it was one year ago.”
Cruden, however, said much work remains to be done as the RMG sector is vital for Bangladesh, and Canada wants to see it grow and continue to provide good jobs, opportunities, and profits. “But this must not come at the expense of worker’s lives.”
She said progress has also continued on improving health and education and Bangladesh remains on track to achieve millennium development goals 4 and 5, for the reduction of under-five and maternal mortality, and for halting the spread of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis.
“I firmly believe that both our peoples will reap the rewards of our longstanding engagement and our commitment to peace, prosperity and freedom,” she added.
Diplomatic Correspondents Association Bangladesh (DCAB) arranged the ‘DCAB Talk’ with its president Mainul Alam in the chair. DCAB general secretary Angur Nahar Monty was present.
