The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Commerce and Education Adviser Dr. Hossain Zillur said yesterday that Bangladesh has plenty of potentials to expand bilateral trade and business with Turkey.

"Our export to Turkey reached US$350 million this year from $120 million in 2007 and it could go up to $ 1 billion," he said while briefing the media about the outcome of his recent visit to Turkey and China.

The Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) and different private firms of the country have participated in two international trade fairs held in Turkey and China.

Mentioning the fair in Turkey the Adviser said, the Turkish businessmen and common people have visited the Bangladeshi stalls with huge enthusiasm and interest.

He said the Turkish were highly impressed with the Bangladeshi readymade garments, handicrafts and home appliances.

Dr Zillur said that the government of Turkey has also showed its keen interest in expanding trade relations with Bangladesh.

He said that so far about 113 Turkish businessmen visited Bangladesh in the last year and this figure has gone up to 935 of the current year.

"The Turkish Businessmen want to relocate their industries in our country," he mentioned.

He said that Turkey, a major Muslim nation bridging the Asia and Europe, is emerging as the biggest economy in Europe with an economy having a size of US$ 850 billion.

They have got tremendous improvement in machinery industry and construction sector and Turkish construction firms are working in the Central Asian Countries.

"There is tremendous scope to export our unskilled manpower to those Central Asian Countries in collaboration with Turkish firms," the Adviser said.

"We need to have a direct air link with Turkey. Turkey Airlines has taken up moves to expand their aviation business," he added.

"The Turkish authorities have opened a new social business institute in its largest university after the name of Bangladeshi Nobel Laureate Prof. Muhammad Yunus," he mentioned.