An Open Letter to Turkish Business Community

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An Open Letter to Turkish Business Community

B2B Business Meeting at Dedeman Hotel, 10 April 2012

By Prof. Syed Ahsanul Alam

The potential of Turkey-Bangladesh bilateral relation is immense. Recently the prime minister ofBangladesh made a state-visit to Turkey(11 April 2012-14 April 2012). As a member of the prime

ministers entourage, it is my humble initiative of advocating Turkey-Bangladesh relation in

particular and marketing orientation of diplomatic relation in general.

------------- Writers Note

Assalamualikum,

Turkish Brothers and Sisters:

Good Morning,

Today, I think I am lucky enough to attend this sublime gathering of majestic personalities as amember of prime ministers state-visit to Turkey. The relation we have is a relation of intensecommitment and glorious history. As a person, I am teaching at Business School; as a Professor ofBusiness, and as a Chairman of Imperial Group, I have been doing and learning business for thepast two decades.

It is a great time for us to retrospect how Turkey and Bangladesh became friends and have beenfriends for years. The tie between Turkey and Bangladesh is a tie of confidence, belief, love,aspiration and encouragement.I was taught marketing and management at the university andbusiness at home under egicmetic supervision of my father.

Dear Brothers of Turkey

I have been in a dilemma and surely will be in so because of my somewhat, to a large extent,conflicting professional commitments. To me, the understanding of Turkey Bangladesh relation isan institution, which was fostered, energized and treated pragmatically today.

My salute and respect goes to all, who initiated this journey of ours and eventually has made us tomeet today. Perhaps many participants of this gathering have already learned from differentstatistics of our bilateral relation but, what I think, a relation between us is not bilateral, even notmultilateral; it is a relation that we deserve because of our commonness in hearts and minds andsouls.

As I teach Marketing, I always try to look into something, first, from the marketing point of view,secondly, from the view of cause and effect. Bangladesh is home to 160 million people, secondlargest Muslim community in the world, located in a very strategic point in South Asia, two- thirdpeople are young, and most of them are energetic, committed and hoping to professional. This traitof population of ours is exclusive demographic benefit for both of us. Any Turkish industrialpresence in the land will be well equipped with this abundant supply of labor that can make ussocio-economically sound to earn benefit from this comparative advantage.


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Ladies and Gentlemen,

The dress or apparel has been with us since the beginning of civilization. Every society, whether inthese days or those days, preserves unprecedented respect for apparels. The garments industry ofBangladesh has been in learning for the past three decades. Now we can stand alone because of itsmaturity and professional achievement. The growth of apparel industry is recognized when it iscalled third largest apparel manufacturer in the world. This credit goes to our people who struggledand forth for this cause. Many of the economic zones were designed to accommodate apparelindustry in particular other industries in general.

In 2007, Turkey stood 4th in the rank as a shipbuilding nation leaving behind China, South Koreaand Japan based on orders and jobs available whereas shipbuilding industry in Bangladesh is in themaking. Adequate compliance, cheap labor, technical human capital, availability of raw materials,especially steel, are comprehensive backbone to foster shipbuilding industry as one of the trustedsectors in the years to come. Here we are requesting our Turkish friends of this sector to utilizethese facilities to serve our brotherly optimum benefits.

It is no surprise to know that Turkey is the 15th

largest manufacturer vehicle in the world and 6th

largest motor vehicle producer in Europe just behind the United Kingdom and above Italy. Thedemand for vehicles in Bangladesh are dependent on other countries as it is a country of 160million population, so it has to import large amount of vehicles from abroad, from reconditioned tobrand new. It is estimated that in the year of 2011 about $ 800 million was spent for importingvehicles. Consequently, it can easily be understood that Bangladesh could be a definitive place toexplore a vehicle industry as early as possible.

Take this instance of humble development, we extend hearts and hands to our Turkish counterparts, please go and see what treasure is waiting for Bangladesh. In addition, we do like to sharewith you that now many leading apparel brands have found Bangladesh as convenient as possibleto draw benefit not only for them but for us as well. At this point, I do want to point to the factthat, if both governments mutually agree, the possibility of formatting Specialized EconomicZone for Turkey in Bangladesh can be highly successful; if it is in Chittagong, it sounds veryconvincing because of its Sea Port which is the largest Sea Port of the country covering 90%foreign trade of the land. For example, Chittagong Export Processing, Karnaphully ExportProcessing Zone and Korean Export Processing Zone are in Chittagong by the Bay of Bengal nextto the Sea Port.

I feel honored and proud to be here. Before coming here, last 29th March I attended, along with mycolleagues, a coordination meeting with His Excellency Mehmet Vakur Erkul, Turkish ambassadorto Bangladesh at Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI). At this verymoment, the very word of him, I could recall, is that he termed this Prime ministerial visit led by

Her Excellency Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh, is a friends visit to another friend-bothers visit to brothers residence. . This word of Mr. Mehmet has reflected upon throughout thevisit through cordiality, brotherhood and hospitability of Turkish government, people and friends.In addition, my heartfelt facilitation goes to Her Excellency Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister ofBangladesh, Dr. Dipu Moni, Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, H. E. Mr. Mehmet Vakur Erkul,Turkish Ambassador to Bangladesh, Mr. Zia Ur Rahman, Bangladesh Ambassador to Turkey, mycolleagues and friends.


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Professor & Chair, Department of Marketing, Chittagong University, Director, Rupali Bank

Limited, Director, Chittagong Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Chairman,

Imperial Group, Chittagong, Bangladesh. The writer may be reached at

[email protected].
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]


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An Open Letter to Turkish Business Community