Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) – Botswana, an African nation, has shown interest to recruit professionals and import pharmaceutical products from Bangladesh, officials said.
It also has expressed its interest to sign a trade and investment agreement with Bangladesh and invited Bangladeshi entrepreneurs to set up joint venture textile and apparel units to avail themselves of duty free export facility extended by the United States.
Bangladesh High Commissioner in South Africa Shahidul Islam wrote a letter to Foreign Secretary Touhid Hossain recently explaining the benefits offered by Botswana, they added.
The high commissioner visited the country recently and presented his credentials to President of the Republic of Botswana Lt. General Seretse Khama Ian Khama at the office of the latter.
The President expressed his desire to have Bangladesh‘s support and cooperation in developing the quality of cricket of Botswana and proposed to sign an agreement in the fields of sports and culture with Bangladesh.
During the meeting, the acting Foreign Minister Daniel K Kwelagobe, who is also the Minister of Presidential Affairs and Public Administration, expressed satisfaction for contribution of the Bangladeshi professionals for development process of the country.
In response to the high commissioner’s request for recruitment of more Bangladeshi professionals, the minister mentioned that at present they need to recruit against 900 vacancies of surveyors, architects, engineers, dieticians, psychologists and physiotherapists, according to the letter.
The letter has been forwarded to different ministries and departments for taking necessary measures in this connection, the officials noted.
The minister also stressed on the employment of Bangladeshi agriculturists in Botswana.
Health Minister of Botswana Ms Lesego Motsumi while mentioning about acute shortage of drugs and medicines in his country said they would like to have a Bangladeshi pharmaceutical company to manufacture medicines locally in Botswana.
“There is no pharmaceutical manufacturer in Botswana and at present they are importing pharmaceuticals through the South African agents,” the high commissioner said in his letter.
Botswana enjoys one of the most stable political systems and strong financial bases in Africa. “Although not a big country, I believe Botswana may become a good destination for Bangladeshi goods and services,” the high commissioner observed.
The country has enjoyed remarkable economic growth since independence; once one of the poorest the country is now the fastest growing economies in the world.
The Republic of Botswana originally a British protectorate called Bechuanaland Protectorate gained its independence on September 30, 1966.
BBN/SI/SS/AD-29September08-11:51 AM (BST)
