Staff Correspondent, Dhaka
Bangladesh and South Korea on Wednesday expressed keen interest in further strengthening collaboration in infrastructure development.
The Embassy of the Republic of Korea and KOTRA Dhaka office organized the “Infrastructure Project Roadshow 2025” at the Amari Hotel for sixth consecutive years.
Korean Exim Bank/EDCF is actively supporting infrastructure projects such as road, railway, metro rail, power, water and sewerage etc.
Bangladeshi side, expressing a high level of satisfaction for the high quality of work by Korean partners, stressed the high potential of cooperation between the two countries in developing Bangladesh's infrastructure.
Through all these initiatives, South Korea wants to build stronger ties with Bangladesh.
13 Bangladeshi government authorities and 35 Korean construction and engineering companies participated in the event.
The country directors of Korea Exim Bank, and Korea Overseas Infrastructure Urban Development Corporation (Kind) of Korea were presented.
Jinhak Hur, director general of Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency (Kotra), in his welcoming speech, stressed the importance of infrastructure cooperation in developing close bilateral ties between the two countries.
The Planning Commission made presentation on project approval process, which was noted well by the Korean companies and other Official Development Assistance (ODA) organizations.
The planning approval process typically starts with feasibility study and ends with administrative approval from the Planning Commission/Ecnec wing.
The presentation also highlighted Annual Development Program (ADP) formulation, development planning systems in Bangladesh.
At the event, representatives from 12 authorities each presented their infrastructure project plans for the coming years, some of the projects might be of interest to the Korean ODA organizations as well.
Following the presentations, one on one meetings were held between interested Korean companies and government authorities based on the results of the prior demand survey.
Korean companies have been long long-standing partner of Bangladesh. In recent years, the bilateral relations witnessed remarkable developments in areas of cooperation beyond the ready-made garment (RMG), particularly in infrastructure, said the Korean Embassy in Dhaka.
Korean companies are playing an important role in infrastructure development projects in Bangladesh through EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) and engineering consultancy services worth over billions of dollars in the past few years, it said.
