Bangladesh is responding to global challenges and pursuing its goals with determination and fervour, improving social indicators and increasingly digital infrastructures, said Danish Ambassador to Bangladesh Winnie Estrup Petersen while talking to Imtiaz Ahmed of The News Times in the city recently.
‘I congratulate Bangladesh for its impressive story of development and resilience and expect to see these qualities being used also when it comes to Covid-19 recovery as the world economy improves, Winnie Estrup Petersen said.
‘We have a strong and good working history and see even more possibilities to strengthen the bilateral relations and partnership with Bangladesh in the years to come as our relations will also transform from a development partnership to trade partners, the Danish diplomat said.
The rest part of the interview is given below.
01. What is your perception regarding our culture and heritage? – ok, but suggest to take out or put in the end
Dhaka is my first posting in Asia and I very much enjoy the vibrancy of the city, its multitude of businesses and not least its rich art life from music, poems to paintings and performance. The people are most resilient and hospitable. At a personal level, I am fascinated with the textiles of Bangladesh and the rich history. I love to explore the different types of textiles from jamdani to muslin and silk, the embroideries and handlooms. This also means I ended up buying many sarees during my time in Bangladesh – I enjoy wearing them.
02. The dream ‘Padma bridge’ is expected to open by next year. How do you evaluate Bangladesh success in constructing the ‘Padma Bridge’ with local resources?
I believe the completion of this bridge is an important step to integrate the South Western region of Bangladesh commercially and industrially in the vigorous Bangladeshi economy and improve living standards through increased economic activity in the area. Investment in increasing connectivity is important to create economic development and it works as a great positive motivator for all the people of this nation.
03. How do you see the present relations between Denmark and Bangladesh?
Danish and Bangladeshi relations are excellent. Beginning our bilateral relationship in the 1970s, our partnership has only grown over the years. We cooperate in a wide range of sectors, especially climate change, agriculture, and governance. There is also strategic cooperation in place between our labour ministries, geared at improving occupational health and safety conditions for Bangladeshi workers through the exchange of expertise with Danish counterparts. Indeed, there are many Danish companies and NGOs present and working in Bangladesh. Denmark also works closely with Bangladesh in several international forums, for example the Human Rights Council in Geneva. I am a proud Ambassador of Denmark in Bangladesh. We have a strong and good working history and see even more possibilities to strengthen the bilateral relations and partnership with Bangladesh in the years to come as our relations will also transform as trade partners.
04. Bangladesh economy has been battered by COVID-19. How can Denmark help Bangladesh to boost the economy?
The Bangladesh economy has fared relatively better than other countries. In fact, Bangladesh was one of the very few countries in 2020 with a positive growth and now has the highest GDP per capita growth rate in South Asia. While the pandemic has changed the world as we know it, Danish retail brands struggled significantly with the domestic market during lock-down and some repercussions were felt in the Bangladeshi RMG sectors as well. To my knowledge, Danish companies have since dealt responsibly with their partners. On the positive side, there was a rise in orders from brands during autumn. Unfortunately, Europe, including Denmark, is again closed. We hope and expect that the situation may be stabilized in 2021 now that vaccinations have begun. And let me remind, that despite the setbacks, the trade balance between the two countries remains in favor of Bangladesh.
As we go forward to overcome the pandemic, the world needs to “Build Back Better” – and not least greener. A part of the Bangladeshi textile and apparel industry is very advanced in this regard. Together with our colleagues in South Asia and New York, the embassy Trade Council has begun to explore, through webinars and panel discussions, ideas on how Danish green technology can enable a more competitive and modern post-pandemic industry. For more and more customers in Denmark, sustainability is not an option, it is a precondition. At the same time, we have continued working to see how we can share the knowledge, technology, and know-how from Denmark in other sectors like renewable energy, agriculture, construction and others to keep the economy moving, always with sustainability in mind. Currently more than 40 Danish companies are engaged in one way or another in business with Bangladesh. As the end of the pandemic nears, we will see the optimism from it positively influence the markets and economies.
05. Some 1.1 million Rohingya refugees are living in Cox’s Bazar since 2017. How can Denmark help Bangladesh in repatriating Rohingya refugees in Rakhine state? How do you look at Bangladesh’s Rohingya issue?
As long as the Rohingya crisis is not solved, we have an obligation to stay engaged in this crisis and invest all possible efforts in bringing a peaceful solution to the plight of the Rohingya and the affected host communities. This must involve agreements and support that can provide the necessary framework for a safe, dignified, and voluntary return of refugees to their homes. Denmark has been providing humanitarian support to this crisis since the very beginning and remains committed to support Bangladesh in this heavy burden. We fully acknowledge that the presence of more than one million Rohingya refugees – a population roughly the size of our capital – constitute an unsustainable burden on host communities that are already facing harsh economic and climatic conditions along with challenges by the global Covid-19 pandemic.
Denmark has consistently called for accountability for those responsible for human rights violations and abuses in Myanmar. The situation in the camps continues to be severe. The humanitarian organizations put a tremendous effort in the camps and are doing their best to ensure peace and safety and to meet the communities’ needs. With the pandemic, some activities were put on a hold to reduce the infection. I believe it will be key for the refugees’ well-being to restart some of these activities. Particularly those focusing on the protection of women and children.
Globally, the pandemic is putting pressure on the humanitarian funds, why there is an increased need to offer refugees access to livelihoods and social services in support of dignified lives, increasing self-reliance and reducing dependency on humanitarian assistance. At the same time, we also need to alleviate the burden on local host communities. That is why Denmark already in 2021 has increased the funding to host community activities.
When it comes to the question of moving Rohingyas to Bashan Char, Denmark welcomes that the government of Bangladesh stresses that the relocation is done in a voluntary and dignified manner. With more than 3,000 Rohingyas already being relocated to the island, the need for a technical assessment of their safety and living conditions on the island by the United Nations is becoming even more important.
06. Bangladesh has celebrated 50 years of independence this year. How do evaluate Bangladesh’s socio-economic development in the last 50 years?
Denmark will celebrate 50-years’ of partnership and diplomatic relations with Bangladesh this year. Despite being such a young country, Bangladesh has set a tremendous example for fast development in the world. Before Covid-19, we saw Bangladesh responding to global challenges and pursuing its goals with determination and fervour, improving social indicators and increasingly digital infrastructures. I congratulate Bangladesh for its impressive story of development and resilience and expect to see these qualities being used also when it comes to Covid-19 recovery as the world economy improves.
We started off as a development partner, and now that Bangladesh will be graduating from the group of LDC’s, we will shift our focus from aid to trade. Bangladesh’s success in achieving the Millennium Development Goals is well acknowledged and admired globally. And with the strong commitment from the GoB to the Sustainable Development Goals, I am sure that Bangladesh will soon be back on the right track to achieve them. Of course, the private sector, and more precisely the RMG sector, has been a crucial driver of growth and jobs in Bangladesh. Around 70-80% of the human resources in the RMG sector are women. Therefore, it is safe to say that the women of Bangladesh have been the ambassadors of growth, which speaks highly about the country’s socio-economic development in the past 50 years.
Denmark looks forward to seeing Bangladesh graduating to a developing country in the near future and is proud to partner in this endeavor.
07. Bangladesh-Denmark bilateral trade is below potential. What is our target to reach bilateral trade within the next five years?
Our trade relations have grown steadily over the years and are set to continue the growth. The Embassy is working to create opportunities for Danish companies. One such initiative is the ongoing discussions with the Public-Private Partnership authority to sign a Memorandum of Understanding for green infrastructure development projects to which we have high expectations.
Denmark is always ready to export sustainable solutions and to invest in environmentally friendly projects. When faced with an increase in economic growth, population pressure, industrial pollution, and environment degradation we need to turn to green energy and resource efficiency. Going forward, I see Denmark getting involved more with green solutions for the readymade garments industry in Bangladesh, renewable and hybrid energy development, water treatment and distribution, and perhaps the construction sector for greener and sustainable buildings.
08. Foreign direct investment (FDI) flow to Bangladesh suffered last year. Do you see more Danish investment in Bangladesh, particularly in the power and energy sectors? How do you evaluate the investment climate in Bangladesh?
The pandemic has affected investors as well. Many businesses in Europe and America suffered losses in 2020. However, going forward, I do see a bright future for investments in Bangladesh since the country has made a statement this year by sustaining the positive growth rate. In the power and energy sector, Denmark is one of the leaders and possesses technical expertise in sustainable energy, like wind energy, but also solar energy.
However, to fully unfold the potential for trade and foreign investments, Bangladesh needs to attract the companies with a positive branding internationally. The Embassy is working hard to change the past perceptions of the country among Danish investors but more needs to be done, also from Bangladeshi side, to present the vibrant economy. This has to go hand-in-hand with a better investment climate in Bangladesh. Companies need a rule-based and transparent investment climate. For instance, predictable legislation, removing red tape and corruption and ensuring enforcement of contractual obligations are key issues that companies will look at in a country at the moment of decision on where to invest.
In 2019, we took a delegation of leading Bangladeshi companies to Denmark to attract Foreign Direct and Portfolio investments. I believe that was just the beginning. We anticipate more interest of Danish companies to invest and work with Bangladesh in the coming years. To mention recent examples, we have Danish companies active in the wind and solar energy space in Bangladesh and certainly, we hope to see a lot more cooperation and investments when it comes to resource, water & energy efficiency technologies in Bangladesh.
9. What is the number Bangladeshis living in your country? How does your government evaluate their contributions to your country?
We have an estimated 2000+ Bangladeshis are living in Denmark. They are in Denmark mostly to work and study. They bring their own cultural input to Danish communities and learn a lot about our Northern ways of life. The exchange of cultures is very valuable indeed.
10. Developing countries, including Bangladesh, are becoming victims of climate change. How do Denmark and Bangladesh work together on climate change issues? Do you think developed countries should give compensation to developing countries?
To combat climate change, we all need to collaborate. One of the mandates of the Sustainable Development Goals is the involvement of the private sector. As much as Danish companies are interested to bring in their green solutions in Bangladesh, the local companies and the government should be equally interested in investing in such technologies in the short run to avail long-term benefits to reduce Bangladeshi CO2 emissions, although they are presently low on a per capita count. Importers of Bangladeshi products will increasingly be obliged by their customers to aid in this transition by partnering with the producers. When it comes to adaptation to the climate changes already underway, we aim to work even closer with the Government of Bangladesh to find common issues related to the climate and green agendas where we can assist to cope with the challenges.
11. Denmark has a number of reputed and world standard universities. Can our country give more scholarships to Bangladeshis in higher education? Primarily, Denmark participates in EU scholarship programmes such as ERASMUS, which offers grants and scholarship to Bangladeshi students who study at a mix of EU universities, including Danish. Apart from a few specific scholarships attached to some of our development partnerships, scholarships are not included in the Danish development policy.
