The New Nation - Internet Edition

A.T.M.Nurun Nabi

The United States of America is the highest importer of the Bangladeshi products, according to Bangladeshi Economic Review 2007. The USA imported 2603.81 million dollar worth products, 28.81 percent, during the first nine months of the last fiscal. Of the country's total woven garments, frozen foods and knitwear; the USA alone imported 49 percent, 39.77 pc and 17.14 pc respectively, indicating that Bangladesh needs to maintain a very strategic friendship with the USA. Germany imported 1466.35 million dollar products, the UK imported 860.21 m $ and France 490.38 m $ during the July-March period of the FY 2006-07, the BER says. In terms of percentage since 2001-02 fiscal years, Germany imported 17.14 pc of the Bangladeshi products, the UK 9.52 pc and France 5.43 pc. In contrast, China is the highest exporter to Bangladesh followed by India.

Meanwhile, the country's export receipts during the first quarter of the current fiscal fell short of target by 17.65 percent, for, the country exported 3077.79 million dollar products against the strategic target of 3736 m $, according to a report released by Export Promotion Bureau. The export earnings is, however, not only short of target but also of the performance during the same period of the last fiscal by 5.37 percent. Bangladesh earned 3251.84 million dollar from exports in 2006-07 FY.

Economists blamed the unsatisfactory performance of the sectors like woven garments, knitwear and frozen foods for failure to achieve target. Export receipts of 1116 million dollar from woven garments stayed behind the strategic target of 1200 million dollar, in percentage by 7.02. Earnings from knitwear were 1204.25 m$, short of target by 14.49 pc and also of last year's corresponding period's performance by 3.61 pc. The country fetched 141.77 million dollars from frozen foods, 8.31 percent behind the target and 7.35 percent behind the performance during the corresponding months of the last fiscal.

The BKMEA president said that achievement of target set for them largely depended on the co-operations of the Bangladeshi missions abroad. He sought their active supports to reach the goal in coming months, overcoming deficit.

Earnings from leather, handicrafts items and engineering products also lagged behind. Howbeit, sectors like agri-products, tea, raw jute, footwear, jute goods and home textiles recorded growth over the target.