Foreigners Reluctant to Visit Bangladesh Due to Security Concerns, Claims BKMEA President
Mohammad Hatem, President of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), has said that a section of foreign buyers are not coming to Bangladesh due to security concerns.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the “Global Sourcing Expo” in Purbachal, Dhaka on Monday (December 1), he said that political uncertainty is discouraging foreign buyers from visiting Bangladesh.
However, Commerce Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin disagreed with the BKMEA president’s statement. Replying to questions from journalists after the event, he said, “Negative messages about Bangladesh are being spread internationally. Even the Chief Adviser mentioned this issue at the UN General Assembly.”
He said, “There is no significant lack of security in Bangladesh.”
The adviser further said that many third-world countries are often subjected to misinformation, which creates unnecessary fear. “But in our country, there is no major security gap that disrupts people’s normal movement.”
Sheikh Bashir Uddin stated that foreign buyers visiting Bangladesh follow the security protocols issued by their respective countries.
The three-day Global Sourcing Expo is being held at the Bangladesh–China Friendship Exhibition Center in Purbachal under the initiative of the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) and the Ministry of Commerce. The aim of the exhibition is to highlight Bangladesh’s export potential in the global market and strengthen international business relations.
A total of 165 stalls, including 11 foreign companies, are participating in the expo.
Speaking at the event, the Commerce Adviser said that although this is the first time the expo is being held, the goal is to organize it twice a year.
