Additional Managing Director of Bashundhara Group Safwan Sobhan presents a crest to Consul of Singapore Darryl Lau at a view-exchange meeting with senior journalists at the office of East West Media Group Limited in Bashundhara Residential Area on Tuesday. SUN photo
Bangladesh is one of the economic power in South Asia. Singapore maintains the second-largest economic partnership with it. The ties will be forged further through collective efforts by the two friendly countries, said Darryl Lau, Singaporean consul in Dhaka.
Bangladeshi goods may be exported through Singapore as a gateway to ASEAN nations and this is possible by strengthening state-to-state rapport, he opined.
Lau made the observations at a view-exchange meeting with the journalists of East West Media Group Limited in Bashundhara Residential Area.
Bashundhara Group Additional Managing Director Safwan Sobhan and Chief Adviser to the Bashundhara Group chairman Mahaboob Morshed Hassan Runu were present at the meeting.
Lau said, “In 2013, Singapore-Bangladesh bilateral trade volume was 3 billion dollars and this trade volume will increase in future.”
Kaler Kantho editor Imdadul Haq Milan, Bangladesh Pratidin editor Nayem Nizam, daily sun editor Amir Hossain, Banglanews24.com editor-in-chief Alamgir Hossain, EWMGL media adviser Mohammad Abu Tayeb, senior journalists and high officials of Bashundhara Group also attended the event.
Lau said Singapore will simplify visa procedure for businessmen and patients who want to visit the city state on an emergency basis. “Visa processing is completed within five working days now, but time will be shortened considering urgency of businessmen and emergency patents.”
In reply to a query from journalists, he opined that Bangladesh has huge human resources who should be utilised effectively for building the country.
“Labour market in Singapore is not shrinking for Bangladeshis. But this market is becoming more and more challenging as Chinese and Indian nationals are coming [to Singapore] to a great extent,” he added.
The consul called upon the government to set up effective vocational training centres in a bid to produce more skilled labour force for export.
Replying to another query, he said Bangladesh can contribute to the potential ship-breaking industry in Singapore. “I have visited the ship-breaking industry here. The business is running well and Bangladesh can do better in the sector by using its skilled manpower.”
In his speech, Lau said Singapore was the first ASEAN country to recognise Bangladesh and still maintains very trusted and friendly relations with it.
Singapore started importing manpower from Bangladesh on a large scale during the post-independence period, although it was started back in 1970.
In reply to a query, Lau said, “We’ll train up Bangladeshi clinicians to boost their knowledge. We’ll also send our experienced clinicians to Bangladesh to train clinicians here as part of exchanging updated medical information.”
The dignitary appreciated his invite to the EWMGL complex and thanked Safwan Sobhan for holding the meeting with a scrum of journalists.
On behalf of Bashundhara Group and EWMGL, Kaler Kantho editor made his welcome speech upon Lau’s arrival here.
Milan conveyed his thanks and gratitude to Lau for making time from his busy schedule to meet the journalists of EWMGL news outlets.
“Bangladesh and Singapore share a very congenial and mutually beneficial relationship. We are very happy to note that the ties remain strong. The relationship will be cemented further to take it to newer heights,” he said.
“We realise the importance of free and effective press for democratic practice in a developing nation. One of the major objectives behind the establishment of East West Media Group Limited was to create a free, fair and unbiased media platform.”
East West Media Group Limited is determined to speak for the people and facilitate the strengthening of democratic institutions. – See more at: http://www.daily-sun.com/details_Bangladesh-an-emerging-economic-power_882_1_1_1_4.html#sthash.SO7rItup.dpuf
