BD seeks more Swiss investment

Bangladesh has called on Switzerland to invest more in the country, particularly in the hi-tech parks of the information and communications technology (ICT) sector.

Foreign Minister Dr A. K. Abdul Momen made the call as new Swiss Ambassador to Dhaka Nathalie Chuard paid a courtesy call on him on Thursday, according to a foreign ministry statement issued on the same day.

The foreign minister mentioned that Bangladesh is developing 28 hi-tech parks and has a huge pool of IT professionals.

Praising precision and high-quality of the Swiss products, he invited Swiss investors to set up manufacturing factories in the Special Economic Zones (SEZs) of Bangladesh taking advantage of various incentive packages that are on offer for FDI, Bangladesh’s demographic dividend and a growing middle class population.

Besides, such investment from Switzerland would enable Bangladeshi workers to learn from the Swiss manufacturing expertise, the foreign minister added.

Pointing out that alongside the ready-made garments sector, pharmaceutical and leather sectors are two other emerging export-oriented sectors of Bangladesh, Dr Momen urged Switzerland to import more of these products from Bangladesh.

Although Tuesday, 25 August, marked the third anniversary of the latest Rohingya influx to Bangladesh , not a single Rohingya could be repatriated yet due to lack of political will and decisive action on the part of Myanmar despite agreed commitments made by Myanmar, he underscored,

Appreciating Switzerland’s continued support to resolve the Rohingya crisis, and the foreign minister sought the international community including Switzerland’s stronger role in ensuring sustainable repatriation of Rohingyas at the earliest.

Dr Momen also highlighted the issue of justice for the victims and accountability for the atrocities committed against Rohingya people.

The Swiss ambassador, however, assured Bangladesh of her country’s strong commitment in this regard.

The foreign minister said that despite international commitment for mobiliiing USD 100 billion per year by 2020 for adaptation and mitigation of the negative impacts of climate change, the present situation of climate finance is in a bad shape.

He urged Switzerland and other developed countries and international partners to mobilise more financial resources to address this global challenge collectively.

Dr Momen also briefed the Swiss ambassador about Bangladesh’s tremendous socio-economic developments, particularly during the last one decade under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.