The Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) has urged Kyrgyzstan to establish a diplomatic mission in Dhaka with a view to increasing trade and investment with Bangladesh.
Acting president of DCCI Arman Haque made the call during a meeting with Kyrgyz Ambassador Asein Isaev, based in New Delhi, at the DCCI office in the city on Wednesday.
At the meeting, Mr Haque said Bangladeshi gold traders can import gold from Kyrgyzstan at a competitive price.
He said establishing a diplomatic mission of the Kyrgyz Republic in Dhaka will help ease visa process for Bangladeshi entrepreneurs.
Besides, it will also open up scopes for frequent visits by businessmen from Bangladesh, thereby paving the way for boosting trade and investment between Bangladesh and Kyrgyzstan, he added.
Mr Haque also said that the bilateral trade between Bangladesh and the Kyrgyz Republic is very potential but still insignificant.
He mentioned that bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Kyrgyzstan was only US $0.26 million in 2020-21 fiscal year.
He pointed out that Bangladesh could be an alternative source of textile products after China for the central Asian country.
He also said that Kyrgyzstan could be a gateway to the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) and Central Asian region.
Ambassador Asein Isaev said Bangladesh's growth is very remarkable even during the Covid-19 pandemic.
He said exchange of visits by business delegations is necessary for boosting two-way trades.
He also said Kyrgyzstan has major gold mines and Bangladeshi traders can import gold from there at a competitive price.
Moreover, they (Bangladeshi traders) could enjoy generalised system of preference (GSP) facility in the European Union (EU) and the United States of America (USA) markets for more than 6,000 products, he added.
The envoy invited Bangladeshi investors to invest in Kyrgyzstan to avail this facility.
He also said there is a huge opportunity to make joint ventures in spinning mills as both countries have common skills in this sector.
Bangladesh mainly imports cotton from Kyrgyzstan and medicine is the major product that Bangladesh exports to that country.
DCCI Vice President Monowar Hossain and Consul of the Kyrgyzstan Embassy Aigerim Zhakypbekova were also present at the meeting.
