Although it is one of the fastest-growing economies in South Asia, little is known about Bangladesh in Croatia. Last year’s appointment of Opatija entrepreneur Nenad Črnac as honorary consul of that country has initiated more intense diplomatic and business discussions between Croatia and this Asian state. Two Croatian IT companies have already established cooperation on outsourcing jobs with a Bangladeshi company, the largest manufacturing company there will produce brands for a large Croatian retail chain, and some other companies, such as Končar, have already shown interest in Bangladesh. We discussed these and other business opportunities and possibilities for cooperation between the two countries with His Excellency M. Riaz Hamidullah, the Ambassador of Bangladesh to the Netherlands, whose jurisdiction also includes Croatia.
You recently had a meeting in Zagreb with the Croatian Minister of Foreign Affairs. What are the prospects for cooperation between the two countries and how do you assess mutual relations?
– As the Ambassador of Bangladesh who has, among other things, been responsible for Croatia for the last three years, I can say that your country was until recently known mainly for football and tourism, but from my perspective, it has much greater potential, for example, as a trade and transport hub. Although Bangladesh has a lower GDP per capita, over the last fifty years we have been meeting Europe in terms of the values and principles it advocates. When it comes to bilateral relations between our two countries, we should not only look at a few million dollars of today’s trade exchange but also at the potential for the future. On one hand, Croatian companies have a greater global reach than ours, and Bangladesh, which has 170 million inhabitants with an average age of 29 years, offers your country an opportunity to tackle the labor shortage. I do not mean only unskilled people. A Croatian IT business delegation is planning to visit Bangladesh, and later a political delegation will stay in Dhaka, which will also include some business people from Croatia.
What specifically do you mean when you mention a trade and transport hub?
– The last few times I was in Croatia, I felt that there is great potential for some of the trade goods from Bangladesh to come directly to the Croatian port instead of traveling all the way to Hamburg or Rotterdam, and then to consumers in Croatia or the wider region, namely Eastern and Southern Europe. I particularly mean the Port of Rijeka. This would save time and money, and Croatia could greatly benefit from it. If the right model could be shaped, it would have the potential to imitate the success of Singapore or Hong Kong through goods distribution.
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What quantities of goods are we talking about?
– It is difficult to speculate about specific numbers in the port and what can ultimately be achieved. If only a part of our exports were redirected to Rijeka, it would mean a significant increase. Recent data shows that our global textile exports were worth $48 billion last year, of which 60 percent was exported to Europe. Conservatively, about a quarter of that amount reaches Central and Eastern Europe, which could be served by the Port of Rijeka. It is important to dare to start, even with small quantities. Once brand owners and shippers gain confidence in the efficiency of the port and the broader logistics network, the quantity can increase over time. Imagine, decades ago, Bangladesh also started with only one or two billion dollars in clothing production, and now it has reached 48 billion! My conclusion regarding the Port of Rijeka is that we need to initiate the process, sit down with representatives of interested brands or companies, and together outline a comprehensive path that would ultimately benefit all parties.
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