The New Nation - Internet Edition

BUSINESS REPORT

Ambassador of the Netherlands to Bangladesh, Ms Bea Ten Tusscher yesterday said that her country would continue to extend all-out support and cooperation to the Bangladeshi entrepreneurs for promoting their products at the international level.

Speaking as the chief guest at a two-day training workshop on 'Market Research for Export to EU' at the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) auditorium yesterday, she expressed the hope that business people from Bangladesh would visit the Netherlands to promote their businesses.

The workshop has jointly been organised by the DCCI Business Institute (OBI) and the CBI, a business support organisation of the Netherlands.

Ms Bea Ten Tusscher also expressed her happiness to see the enthusiasm among the trainees at the workshop.

She also assured her country's continuous support for Bangladesh and lauded the role of DCCI for its efforts to promote international trade and business.

The Ambassador also said more trainers from her country would come to Bangladesh in future to help build a strong entrepreneurship base.

Inaugurating the workshop, President of DCCI Hossain Khaled welcomed the guests and trainers from the Netherlands and the trainees taking part in the workshop.

He said the workshop would help participating entrepreneurs and business executives find out information sources, search techniques, primary research, country selection and other tools and techniques to explore EU market.

The DCCI President said, "We believe in skilled entrepreneurship, executives and employees. We acknowledge the cooperation and support of may organisations like, ITC, GTZ, SEDF and CBI for their generous support to us in developing and bringing OBI to its present stage. We also acknowledge the support of CBI in regularly supporting DCCI by training other employees in Europe in the last few years."

He said that this year the OBI had taken up this market research training to promote knowledge and in disseminating information to potential exporters to Europe.

Khaled said that Bangladesh largely depends on export of readymade garments to a few countries representing 80 per cent of our total export earnings. "This," he pointed out, "was a vulnerable situation and the need to broaden our market base cannot be ignored."

Senior and mid-level executives from various sectors like education, garments, pharmaceuticals, IT, service industry and banking have been taking part in the workshop.

Two trainers from the Netherlands Joost van der Kooij and Onno Roukens have been conducting the workshop. The workshop will conclude today (Friday).

DCCI Vice-President Khandaker Shahidul Islam and other directors were present on the occasion.