Most Bangladesh missions abroad fail to attain export targets writes Mashiur Rahaman
Most of the Bangladesh’s diplomatic missions and commercial wings in foreign countries have failed to achieve their export earning targets.
According to the missionwise export target and performance report during July-November 2007-08, among 44 diplomatic missions, only 21 achieved their export targets while the rest 23 failed to meet their targets.
Similarly, out of total 16 Bangladesh’s commercial wings abroad, only seven achieved their export targets while nine failed to do so.
The report also revealed that actual export earnings achieved $5166.63 million during the July to November period of 2007-08FY, which was 2.40 per cent higher than the amount recorded during the same period in the previous fiscal of 2006-07.
However, export earnings were 10.99 per cent lower than that target. In July-November 2006-08, export earning was recorded $5045.12 million.
Only 2.4 per cent growth in export earning than the previous fiscal year is ‘not satisfactory enough’ because Bangladesh’s diplomatic missions and commercial wings in developed countries failed to achieve their targets, said a high official of the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB).
The EPB statistics shows that Bangladesh’s diplomatic missions in Washington, Rome, Hague, Ottawa, Hanoi, Cairo, Bangkok, Manila, Brunei and Thimpu were among those, which recorded their export earning below their targets set for the July to November 2007-08 FY. Their earnings were even below from the earning recorded during the same period in the year back.
In spite of failing to achieve export targets, total 13 diplomatic missions recorded higher earning between July and November 2007-08 period, compared to the same period in previous fiscal year. Missions in this category are Berlin, London, Brussels, Stockholm, Madrid, Beijing, Ankara, New Delhi, Singapore, Islamabad, Colombo, Kula Lumpur and Rabat.
Target achieving 21 Bangladesh’s diplomatic missions are Doha, Manama, Muscat, Tashkent, Moscow, Pretoria, Canberra, Riyadh, Seoul, Kathmandu, Dubai, Kuwait, Jakarta, Hong Kong, Nairobi, Tehran, Yangon, Tripoli, Paris, Tokyo and Amman.
Bangladesh’s Commercial Wings, which have solely established to promote and popularise Bangladeshi products in foreign markets, also reported similar performance during the July to November of FY 2007-08 period.
It was reported that nine, out of total 16 Commercial Wings, failed to achieve their tasks. Moreover, Commercial Wings in Washington and Ottawa recorded even lower earnings during the July-November 2007-08 period from its previous year record.
Other seven Commercial Wings, which have failed to meet their export targets, however, have recorded growth in earning as compare to the same period recorded in 2006-07FY. Countries in this category are Berlin, London, Brussels, Madrid, Beijing, New Delhi and Kuala Lumpur.
Commercial Wings, which have achieved export-earning targets in the July-November period of 2007-08FY, are Moscow, Canberra, Dubai, Paris, Tehran, Yang on and Tokyo.
"It is to notice that Bangladeshi envoys mainly failed to perform properly in those countries, which are considered as comparatively bigger markets for Bangladeshi products. Failure to achieve export targets in these countries reflects our diplomatic failure in terms of promoting global business," said an expert related to the export business.
According to the export earning statistics for the July-November period of 2007-08FY, Bangladeshi envoys have failed to execute their tasks in markets like London, Washington, Beijing Kuala Lumpur, Ankara and other Western and Middle Eastern countries.
Original Source New Nation | Link posted by Anim Anamika
