| Economie,
Commerce, Industrie et R&D
BANGLADESH : 3,4 MILLIARDS DE FRANCS
D'ÉCHANGES AVEC LA FRANCE.(les
Echos, 13/4/2000)
Nous avons pratiquement réalisé
un grand chelem en 1999, affirme Pierre Boëdoz, chef du PEE français
à Dhaka; nous avons été les premiers fournisseurs
européens du Bangladesh, nous avons obtenu le meilleur taux de couverture
des grands pays
industrialisés, notre dette bilatérale
a été presque inexistante. Mais nous n'avons pas été
les premiers importateurs de produits bangladais... " Si les Etats-Unis
sont, de loin, les premiers partenaires commerciaux de Dhaka, les relations
commerciales entre la France et le Bangladesh se renforcent: les échanges
ont atteint 3,4 milliards de francs l'année dernière. Alors
que les exportations bangladaises (textile, crevettes) restaient stables,
à 2,4 milliards de francs, les exportations françaises (essentiellement
des produits alimentaires de base et des biens d'équipements) ont
fait un bond de 32 %, à 1,03 milliard. L'année précédente,
elles avaient déjà progressé de 37 %. Ces résultats
ne doivent plus grand-chose à l'aide bilatérale: depuis 1998,
la France n'accorde plus de protocoles financiers à Dhaka, une manière
de prendre acte d'une forme de normalisation de sa situation. " Maintenant,
on donne moins, mais on prête quatre fois plus ", rappelle Pierre
Boëdoz. Auparavant, cette aide avait eu l'effet d'un énorme
levier: " Depuis l'indépendance, on a exporté dix fois plus
qu'on a donné. "La plus ancienne implantation française au
Bangladesh est le Crédit Agricole Indosuez (135 salariés),
présent dans le pays depuis vingt ans. Et si le plus important investissement
industriel était jusqu'à maintenant celui de Rhône-Poulenc
Rorer (11,3 milliards de dollars), les projets d'Elf Antargaz (GPL) pour
11 milliards de dollars, de Total (GPL) pour 16 milliards de dollars, mais
surtout de Lafarge Surma Cement, l'actuel investissement phare dans le
pays (240 millions de dollars), vont renforcer la présence française
au Bangladesh. La cimenterie, située à la frontière
indienne, dans le nord du pays, sera opérationnelle en 2003; et
elle emploiera 500 personnes en direct, 2.000 sous-traitants, et générera
10.000 emplois.
Trade & Commerce - Independent 23.08.99 (Alliance Française
de Dhaka)
Dhaka will ask for transit through India to Nepal, Bhutan
During the forthcoming talks with India on th etransshipment issue,
Bangladesh would seek similar facilities for transporting goods
through Indian territory to Nepal and Bhutan. At present Nepal and
Bhutan are able to transport their goods right up to the
Bangladesh border. Nepal already has a land transit agrrement with
India and Bhutan is also able to transport its goods through
some arrangement. In the absence of transit facility Bangladesh goods
cannot reach Nepal and Bhutan now.
Development - Bangladesh Observer 19.08.99 (Alliance Française
de Dhaka)
Tk. 1000 m Danish grant
Bangladesh will receive 140 million Danish Kroner (about Taka 1000
million) from Denmark for rural development activities in two
coastal districts under an agreement signed in Dhaka on Wednesday between
the two countries. This agreement is for the
implementation of the Phase II of the Rurual Development Project -
16 under which infrastructure development in Barguna and
Patuakhali began in 1994. Earlier Denmark gave Tk 710 million for the
Phase I of the project.
Trade & Commerce - Independent 19.08.99 (Alliance Française
de Dhaka)
Bangladesh, India to carry cargo on 50-50 basis in riverine transit
Bangladesh and India have agreed to carry cargo on a 50-50 basis in
the riverine transit. The new arrangement will enable
Bangladesh to earn from the cargo transportation business instead
of India's one-sided benefits.
Nitol starts marketing of Tata trucks
Nitol Motors Ltd, the marketing agent of Indian motor vehicles manufacturers
Tata Engineering and Locomotive Co Ltd started
marketing of Tata multi rear-axel truck in Bangladesh.
Poland's imports from Bangladesh increase significantly
Poland's imports from Bangladesh increased significantly over the recent
years marking a big rise in the business ties netween
the two countries. The business turnover of the two countries amounted
to US$ 32.585 million in 1997-98 of which Poland's export
to bangladesh was US$ 11.683 m against its imports of US$ 20.902 million.
Finance - Financial Express 17.08.99 (Alliance Française
de Dhaka)
Bangladesh Bank to Monitor NGO Activities
The government is going to formulate regulations and develope a framework
involving the Bangladesh Bank (BB) to monitor the
activities of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), Finance Minister,
Mr. Kibria said. "This is an area where the government
should have a role to ensure that the interest of the people are not
affected. Ensuring accountability of the NGOs is an urgent step
for the government".
Economics - Financial Express 29.07.99 (Alliance Française
de Dhaka)
Ecnec okays 10 projects worth Tk. 5.6137 billion
The Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved
10 projects involving Taka 5.6137 billion including
Taka 2.8111 billion as project aid. The approved projects are: Development
of Chittagong University under 5th 5-year plan,
expansion of the cardiac unit of the BIRDEM hospital (amended), Natural
Gas Fertilizer Factory Ltd rehabilitation project, energy
saving, environmental protection and development of on-steam factor
at the Ghorasal Fertilizer Factory and integrated soil fertility
and fertiliser management project and rehabilitation of the 1998 flood
affected power distribution system of DESA.
Commerce & Industry - Daily Star 29.07.99 (Alliance Française
de Dhaka)
Transshipment of Indian goods through land routes okayed
The government has approved in principle a proposal for transshipment
of Indian goods through Bangladesh's land routes. A
cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, gave the
approval yesterday. According to the proposal, Indian trucks
carrying goods in sealed containers will arrive at a Bangladesh border
point from where Bangladeshi trucks will take the goods to
another border point. From there, the goods will again be transshipped
to Indian lorries. The joint expert committee will work out
the details including the rate of revenue for transportation of Indian
goods, the schedule of transshipment and the timing for
launching it.
Commerce & Industry - Independent 27.07.99 (Alliance Française
de Dhaka)
CEPZ units export goods worth $ 475 m in '98 - '99
The industrial units in the CXhittagong Export Processing Zone (CEPZ)
have exported products worth about US $ 475 million
during the 1998-99 fiscal against Us $ 450 million in the 1997-98 fiscal.
The total employment in the CEPZ has exceeded 50000.
Foreign investment in the CEPZ has gone up remarkably. A total of 57
units among the 90 industrial units in the CEPZ are 100%
foreign investments. These are owned by investors from USA, Hong Kong,
Japan, Pakistan, Malaysia, Thailand, Germany, UK,
Denmark, Sweden, South Korea, UAE, China, Taiwan, Singapore, France
and Canada.
Commerce & Industry - Daily Star 22.07.99
WB to provide $33m for 4th fisheries project
The World Bank will provide 33 million US dollars in credit and grant
for funding a fisheries development project in Bangladesh. The
project, involving a total ost of USD 60.8 million, aims at increasing
environment-friendly and sustainable fish and domestic
consumption and exports.
Commerce - Independent 16.07.99 (Alliance Française de
Dhaka)
Prime Bank earns Tk. 221 m profit
Prime Bank Limited earned an operating profit of Taka 220.74 million
(1 US$ = appr. Tk.49) during last year showing a rise by
130% over the pervious year. With an authorised capital of Tk. 1000
million and paid up capital of Tk. 100 million Prime Bank was
set up in the private sector as a scheduled commercial bank in April
1995.
Commerce & Industry - Bangladesh Observer 16.07.99 (Alliance
Française de Dhaka)
Dependence on rubber imports to be reduced
Environment and Forest Minister Mrs. Syeda Sajeda Chowdhury sais that
the government is trying to reduce dependence on
rubber imports by making best use of the locally produced rubber resources.
The government is trying to further develope 15
rubber plantations of the country to discourage import, which wsa encouraged
by the previous governments during the last 21
years.
Agriculture - Independent 16.07.99 (Alliance Française
de Dhaka)
BMA produces paddy worth Tk. 1800 m under six projects
The Barind Multipurpose Authority (BMA) has set up a new record in
revenue income and production of rice in the greater Rajshahi
district. It raised Tk. 170 million as a revenue from irrigation and
produced additional paddy worth about Tk. 1800 million under its
six projects in the fiscal 1998-99. Under Barind Fine Rice Production
project, export of 60 metric tonnes of fine rice and 10 metric
tonnes of Basmati rice to the USA is under process.
Commerce & Industry - Daily Star 16.07.99 (Alliance
Française de Dhaka)
Production record of TSP
The TSP (Triple Super Phosphate) Complex Ltd, the only phosphatic fertilizer
industry under Bangladesh Chemical Industries
Corporation (BCIC), scored the highest production record with 1,80,638
metric ton during 98-99 fiscal year.
Industry - Finacial Express 06.07.99 (Alliance Française
de Dhaka)
KAFCO ammonia, urea production exceeds target
The ammonia and urea plants of Karnaphuli Fertilizer Company (KAFCO)
in Chittagong achieved record production levels in the
last fiscal year that ended June 30, 1999. Compared to the annual design
capacity of 500000 tonnes of ammonia, Kafco produced
a total of 504,670 tonnes, while it produced 609,131 tonnes urea which
also exceeded the design capacity of 570000 tonnes.
Commerce - Bangladesh Observer 04.07.99 (Alliance Française
de Dhaka)
Investment in Bangladesh Promising: Japan's Investor
Japanese businessmen find Bangladesh as a favourable destination to
set up new industries and relocate units from other Asian
countries like Thailand. This information was provided by Uzuhiko Uwatoko,
a leader of Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Commerce - Daily Star 30.06.99 (Alliance Française de
Dhaka)
100 Metric Tons of Fine Rice to be exported this year
Some 100 Metric Tons of Bangladeshi quality rice are being exported
this year under private initiatives. The bulk of the rice being
exported is Kalijira - a fine brand of fragrant rice produced in the
northern region of the country. Export price of Kalijira is around 2
US$ per kg.
Commerce - Financial Express 24.06.99 (Alliance Française
de Dhaka)
Biman Bangladesh Airlines plans to privatise 49% of its capital
before June 2000.
"Construction of Container Terminal Starts in Nov"
The consruction of the much-talked-about private container terminal
at Patenga off Chittagong begins next November. It is being
built on a total of 211 acres of land at a cost of 305 million US dollars.
Arsenic Crisis - Financial Express 23.06.99 (Alliance Française
de Dhaka)
"BRAC-UNICEF Accord Signed"
A community based action research programme for arsenic mitigation
has been signed between UNICEF and BRAC, the country's
largest NGO. The programme is part of a larger, $500,000 integrated
action research initiative supported by UNICEF that will cover
some 500 villages.
Daily Star - 17 Juin 1999 - Energie (Alliance Française
de Dhaka)
Le département américain de l'énergie a fourni
au Gouvernement bangladais un plan d'action pour le développement
du secteur de l'énergie (ressources gazières) qui fait partie
de l'accord de coopération entre les 2 pays signé en décembre
1998 impliquant 880 K USD d'assistance américaine dns ce secteur.
UE-Bangladesh : La Commission européenne ouvre un bureau
régional à Dacca (AFP, 29/10/98)
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