The Marketing of Turkey- Bangladesh Relation

Syed Ahsanul Alam Is it not important that we should not understand the Turkey Bangladesh relation? Or is relation important at all? As a learner and Professor of Marketing, the dynamic and magnetic role of marketing has been driving people like me for years. So, to look into the Turkey-Bangladesh relation perhaps demands several and several researches, ideas, and cooperation to strengthen our bilateral relation. Perhaps quite arguably a person like me is not expected to write on this issue. What I am trying is to make out myself first and then make other understand how a relation can be a marketable item to achieve a broader collective interest for two nations peace loving people. It is sure that many writers who are capable of making comments on diplomatic issues are welcome to make the issue more diplomatic, but for me it is what it is, and it is what it can be. On the other hand, I might be asked to answer a question Does the Turkey-Bangladesh relation need marketing? So far as my experiences, as both businessman and academician, are concerned, my answer is, Yes. For example, once I happened to attend matrimonial negotiations which facilitated me to learn how the guardians of bride and grooms strove to market their respective product- bride and groom for marriage. Why not? Mother tries to see her son and daughter with acute marketabilities, Fathers marketabilities help the son to reach the matrimonial market easily. However, it has to be made sure that this or that marketing should take all the stakeholders in confidence so as to ensure respective judgment. Most of the literatures on Turkey-Bangladesh relation focus on bilateral commercial issues. But we do believe there is huge space for marketing of relation, strategically and philosophically. Dates back to history the Turks and Bangalis were probably born and destined to work together. Has this ties of relation been persistently continuing for trade and business only? What business was in the mind of our national poet Kazi Nazarul Islam who eternalized the distinctive characteristics of great reformer Kamal Ataturk in the poem Kamal Pasha. Was our Kazi a marketing guru? What he knew was that every human relation needs to be watered and nurtured to take to the height of substantial maturity.

It is reported that the economy of Turkey is the 16th biggest economy in the world. As stated by the Turkish ambassador to Bangladesh H.E. Mehmet Vakur Erkul, Turkey has been striving to become 10th largest economy in the world. As a result, as we understand the relation, bilateral ties between Turkey and Bangladesh is much more than bilateral. In the name of bilateral relation, our emphasis are given more on business than qualitative human engagement. Besides being 16 th largest economy Turkey has been incredibly rich source of minds that have not only bettered their culture and history but also of ours. Their religions, their politics, their faith and beliefs, their philosophy and what not? Because we have things common in minds, hearts and souls. Turkey and Bangladesh have reaped many opportunities for their respective ends. State level meeting has been a quite common practice. In contrast, we must believe human relation has indestructible capacity to go beyond the horizon tearing apart all difficult topsy-turvy to win the heart, the mind, the people, the culture and the business. We have heard enough from our theoretical strategists and well-styled diplomats that Turkeys business community has expressed their interest to launch business in Bangladesh, to launch a large scale business enterprises in Bangladesh but not much yet to be materialized. An idea goes like that opportunity comes to you once in a blue moon. For us, it is unusually relevant because, despite being in a strategic location in South Asia, we have yet to attract substantial amount of foreign direct investment in our country. The interest of Turkish business community has been pragmatically positive for us. But what we need to have is the marketing of our relation through creating very convenient and industry-oriented infrastructural facilities to accommodate heart of Turkish business leaders in the form of industry. Turkey knows better that Bangladesh is a country whose two-third population is young, energetic and inspirational: we have a big bank of 50 million young energetic people; this huge demographic advantage is our definitive ground to be a comparative advantage in seeing our Turkish business communitys in our land. Our young human resources are desperately willing to work for the nation. So, Turkish people are warm welcomed to enjoy this opportunity with us paving the way to grow together. Take the EPZ as an instance, if Turkish investors are interested we can offer them specialized economic zones for them especially in the greater Chittagong. We focus on Chittagong as it is countrys commercial capital and it has championed of being facilitated with the countrys largest seaport serving 90% foreign trade of the country.

It has been learned that vey recently Turkey has seen huge growth in apparel industries, for which they imposed the safe guard duty at the rate of 17% on apparel imports from least developed countries including Bangladesh. Here, we feel extremely honored to remind our Turkish friends that Bangladesh has been a third largest garments manufacturer in the world. The industry has already passed the test of time; therefore, the history of its growth is a remarkable and praiseworthy. With 5000 factories employing about 3.6 million workers in this sector, Bangladesh is definitely ahead of other South Asian countries in terms of productivity and capacity in the readymade garments industry. In 2010, readymade garment or apparel industry brought us about $17 billion which represented 13% of GDP and more than 75% of total exports. Very recently a comprehensive survey by a famous consulting firm McKinsey reveals that western buyers are comparatively and realistically considering Bangladesh as a very vital alternative to their existing outsourcing countries in Asia. Furthermore, according to this report, western buyers are now viewing Bangladesh as a next hotspot for its skilled and abundant supply of semi-skilled and skilled manpower. Its character is distinctive and intensely diversified it has so far created several generation of leadership to safeguard the readymade garment industry(RMG). One of the achievements of RMG industry is that recent economic meltdown has not shaken the industry as it was expected. At this point, our garments industry is technically and demographically mature enough to absorb any amount of relocation of apparel industries from any part of the world along with fresh investment in this sector. Beauty is the only word known to the world regarding Turkey because of its unique geographical position, aged old history, unique culture & arts, diverse socio-economic development. As a result, Turkey has to entertain abundance of tourists every year. The year 2010 bewildered the whole world to see the presence of around 29 million tourists in Turkey providing some $22 billion in Turkish economy. From this statistics, we do convincingly get the idea that Turkey had to go through a great of difficulties and test of patience to achieve this remarkable achievement. It is Bangladesh who has all out natural facilities to be a leader in tourism. The Sundarban, the largest mangrove forest in the world; Coxs Bazaar, the longest unbroken Sea Beach of about 92 km; Chittagong, Bandarban and Rangamati are the home to the countrys largest rainforest. It is needless to say how green my country is, how rich our culture and arts, how hospitable our people

are. Besides, there are many locations in Bangladesh that can be transformed into majestic historical destinations. Our Turkish brothers can come to us with their experiences. We are ready to extend our hand and heart to make our country a definitive tourist attraction for years to come. Like tourism Turkey has been honored to have an important place in the world, as a shipbuilding nation. In 2007, Turkey stood 4th in the rank leaving behind China, South Korea and Japan based on orders and jobs available whereas shipbuilding industry in Bangladesh is in the making. There are four major shipbuilding entities but comparing with the countrys geo-demographic support it is unusually small. Bangladesh is a country with one-third of its area is in water. Thousands and thousands of people leave and earn by the river. As a result, all dominating facilities for shipbuilding industry are ready to serve anyone. Adequate compliance, cheap labor, technical human capital, availability of raw materials, especially steel, are comprehensive backbone to foster shipbuilding industry as one of the trusted sectors in the years to come. The government of Bangladesh has taken shipbuilding industry as one of its priority industrial sector to welcome more and more foreign investments. Here we are requesting our Turkish friends of this sector to utilize these facilities to serve our brotherly optimum benefits. It is no surprise to know that Turkey is the 6th largest motor vehicle producer in Europe just behind the United Kingdom and above Italy. The industry has shown every significant indicator of acute success and accomplishment. These successes in automobile industry lead Turkey to produce 1,147,110 motor vehicles in 2008. In contrast, the demand for vehicles in Bangladesh are dependent on other countries as it is a country of 160 million population, so it has to import large amount of vehicles from abroad, from reconditioned to brand new. It is estimated that in the year of 2011 about $ 800 million went out for importing vehicles. Consequently, it can easily be understood that Bangladesh could be a definitive place to explore a vehicle industry as early as possible. If anyone attempts to venture automobile manufacturing enterprise in Bangladesh it will be cordially welcome and given assurance that the project will be adequately supported, encouraged, and manned to make this impossible possible. The government of Bangladesh has relentlessly been trying to create and ensure flexible and comprehensive environment to boost its growth. At the same time the role of stakeholders and the business community is a inevitable factor to strengthen any bilateral enterprise. Therefore, to us,

Turkey-Bangladesh business community might initiate more pragmatic as well as definitive action plans towards utilizing and enjoying each others benefits. How and what extent this state visit to Turkey would help us to strengthen our relation will find its answer in the course of time. But we have had from this visit are Chittagong-Instanbul direct flight, consensus on free trade, our offer to form special economic zone for Turkeys investors, Turkeys expression of funding the renovation of Chittagong Jumma mosque, our request to lift up recently imposed tariff on ready-made garments (RMG), our cordial access to and discussion with Turkish business community; in short, Bangladesh showcased itself in full-fledged terms to further our bilateral relation. In conclusion, I would like to end this piece with a personal note. As a part of the Bangladesh Premiers visit to Turkey, delegates from the business community attended a coordination meeting with His Excellency Mehmet Vakur Erkul, Turkish ambassador to Bangladesh on 29th March, 2012 at Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI). At this moment, 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 friends visit to friends. This word of Mr. Mehmet got changed to brothers visit brothers residence throughout the visit through cordiality, brotherhood and hospitability of Turkish government, people and friends. In addition, my heartfelt facilitation goes to Her Excellency Sheikh Hasina, Dr. Dipu Moni, Foreign Minister of Bangladesh, Mr. Zia Ur Rahman, Bangladesh ambassador to Turkey, my colleagues and friends.
Professor & Chair, Department of Marketing Studies & International Marketing, Faculty of Business Administration, 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 professorparvez@gmail.com.