The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

A twenty-two-member business delegation of American Chamber of Commerce in India (AMCHAM-India) will visit Bangladesh on April 01, 2008.

With the aim of exploring expansion of opportunities in the hugely untapped South Asian market while retaining India as its base, American Companies are now targeting Bangladesh as its next destination. The high level AMCHAM-India visit is part of this process, said an official announcement.

According to the announcement, visiting business delegation will comprise representatives of US companies presently operating in India and led by K N Memani, Chairman, AMCHAM and Ramesh Bajpai, Executive Director of AMCHAM India.

The delegation aims to tread into newer territories within the South Asian region. Bangladesh, which has not been fully explored to its full potentials by American businesses, offers a great opportunity for economic cooperation between the business communities of the two countries.

As per schedule, the delegation will meet high-level government officials and private entrepreneurs to eradicate business misunderstanding.

The AMCHAM-India press announcement also stated that the present trade situation in Bangladesh is very promising.

According to latest WTO data, the country's rate of growth in real GDP has been 6 per cent for the time period 2000-2006. The growth in the merchandise trade has also been phenomenal with annual percentage change hovering at 27 per cent in 2006. This is an indication of the huge opportunity for the foreign investors to tap the buoyant Bangladesh economic conditions.