DAVAO City in the Philippines and Khulna in Bangladesh are looking at a sisterhood pact as part of initiatives to expand economic and cultural ties between the two countries.
Bangladeshi Ambassador F.M. Borhan Uddin, who was in Davao last week, said a city-to-city agreement would help facilitate potential business partnerships in agriculture and tourism, among other sectors.
Mr. Uddin met with Davao City local government officials, members of the city business chamber, and the Mindanao Development Authority for exploratory talks.
He said Bangladeshi company Square Pharmaceuticals Ltd., for example, is eyeing to set up a manufacturing plant in the Philippines.
“We will request to divert the company here in Davao City if possible. We will try to negotiate with the company to come here to Davao City and establish their plant,” he said in an interview.
On tourism, the envoy said Davao and the Philippines as a whole are not yet in the radar of Bangladeshi travelers.
“Many Bangladeshis are coming to Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia and they don’t know about Philippines,” he said.
“We already have flights to Singapore so the connectivity is present… So we’ll work with the travel agencies of Bangladesh and Davao and Cebu to make that (tour packages) possible.”
Honorary Consul General of Bangladesh in Mindanao Joji Ilagan-Bian said they can organize online meetings among travel agencies from Bangladesh, Cebu and Davao City to come up with packages.
The Philippines and Bangladesh are celebrating the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic relations this year. — Maya M. Padillo
