Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) – An official business delegation from Switzerland arrives in the capital Dhaka on Sunday for a two- day visit.
Ambassador Eric Martin, the Head of Bilateral Economic Relations of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs of Switzerland, will lead the delegation. This is the first official visit by a Swiss economic delegation to Bangladesh, a Swiss embassy statement said.
During the visit, the delegation will meet senior government and private sector officials. The members of the delegation are scheduled to meet the ministers for industries, commerce and foreign affairs.
The main objective of the visit is to further deepen official contacts between Switzerland and Bangladesh in the areas of business and trade and to provide fresh impetus to the growing trade relations between the two countries.
They will also meet the Executive Chairman of the Board of Investment and other senior government officials during the visit. In these meetings the delegation will try to find more ways to support the Swiss private sector interested in doing business with Bangladesh.
The delegation will also exchange views with the Swiss companies who are doing business in Bangladesh and meet the Bangladeshi business leaders, chamber presidents, media and civil society members with an aim to strengthen bilateral economic ties.
Switzerland-Bangladesh economic relations have been growing rapidly over the last years. The bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Switzerland stood at US$ 406 million (CHF 387 million) in 2012, marking around 26 percent growth over 2011.
The main Bangladeshi export items to Switzerland are Ready Made Garments and leather products. On the other hand, Switzerland mainly exports industrial machinery, chemical and pharmaceutical products to Bangladesh.
BBN/SSR/AD-20Apr13-8:04 pm (BST)
