VZCZCXRO0353
PP RUEHCI
DE RUEHKA #0080/01 0200758
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 200758Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY DHAKA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8178
INFO RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0997
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 1637
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DHAKA 000080 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EEB/CBA DENNIS WINSTEAD 
NEW DELHI FOR FCS 
KOLKATA FOR FCS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: BEXP ETRD ECON PREL BG
SUBJECT: 2009 BUSINESS FACILITATION INCENTIVE FUND: BANGLADESH 
REQUEST 
 
REF:  08 State 128559 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1.  Mission Dhaka welcomes the opportunity to improve business 
promotion and commercial outreach that the Business Facilitation 
Incentive Fund provides.  In the last two years, our commercial 
workload has increased dramatically, and our small Trade Center 
would greatly benefit from BFIF support.  Requests for commercial 
services, including International Company Profiles, International 
Partnership Searches and Gold Key Services, more than doubled from 
FY07 to FY08.  FY09 promises to see further significant increases in 
demand for commercial services.  In FY08, we collected $6,035 in 
commercial service fees, and five months into FY09 we have already 
collected $7,080. 
 
¶2.  We anticipate that recent political developments in Bangladesh 
will lead to even more opportunities for U.S. business.  After two 
years of an interim government and significant political 
uncertainty, a democratically-elected government took office early 
in January.  The new government won a landslide victory in the 
recent national elections, receiving a clear mandate from the people 
of Bangladesh.  Increased trade and investment in Bangladesh, and 
development of the energy sector and infrastructure projects are 
among the new government's top priorities.  The new Prime Minister, 
Sheikh Hasina, addressed the American Chamber of Commerce during her 
election campaign and signaled her keen interest in expanding trade 
and investment with the United States.  AmCham was the only 
international business association she reached out to prior to 
taking office.  We here at Mission Dhaka look forward to 
capitalizing on this interest in U.S. products and services in 
Bangladesh.  Improving U.S.-Bangladesh trade and investment, 
particularly under the new government, is a key Mission goal.  We 
hope the Department will support our request for Business 
Facilitation Incentive funds. 
 
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Priority One: Regional CS-State Commercial Training and Strategic 
Planning Program 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  Our top priority is commercial training for our Trade Center 
staff, which includes a U.S. direct-hire Economic/Commercial Officer 
and two Locally Engaged Staff (LES).  We would welcome the 
opportunity to participate in any training or shadowing provided 
under the Commercial Service-State Post Partnering Program.  Our 
partnership post is U.S. Consulate Kolkata, India, and we also 
interact with our Foreign Commercial Service counterparts at U.S. 
Embassy New Delhi.  Many U.S. company representatives based in India 
are also responsible for Bangladesh operations.  A visit to Dhaka by 
a delegation from AmCham India in 2008 demonstrated an increasing 
interest by U.S. companies in the Bangladesh market. 
 
¶4.  Training or shadowing by our Econ/Commercial Officer and our two 
LES staff in either New Delhi or Kolkata would greatly enhance our 
service to U.S. companies seeking business opportunities in 
Bangladesh, our understanding of Commercial Service programs and 
priorities, and our liaison efforts with our Commercial Service 
colleagues in India.  Participation in the training and strategic 
planning program would also allow our staff to better understand the 
new fee collection mechanism. 
 
¶5.  Our local staff would especially benefit from 
training/shadowing.  Our Commercial Assistant, who is often the 
first person to interact with U.S. companies who seek our 
assistance, has worked in our Trade Center for six years, but has 
received no USG commercial training.  Our Econ/Commercial 
Specialist, who has worked in the Trade Center for almost two years, 
also has yet to receive USG commercial training. 
 
¶6.  Cost Estimate:  A three-day training/shadowing program in New 
Delhi for one American officer and two LES would cost approximately 
$7,000.  A similar program conducted in Kolkata would cost about 
$6,000.  This estimate includes the cost of lodging, M&IE, and air 
fare for three people. 
 
------------------------------------------ 
Priority Two: Publications for U.S. Trade Center Outreach 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶7.  Enhanced Embassy security has limited physical access to the 
U.S. Trade Center and reduced its use by the public.  Post would 
like to use BFIF funds to extend our presence into Dhaka-area 
Chambers of Commerce and other business association offices through 
 
DHAKA 00000080  002 OF 002 
 
 
dissemination of Trade Center publications.  Through BFIF, we would 
cover the printing costs of materials to supplement our outreach 
efforts.  Examples of these publications include: a brochure on 
Trade Center services, our Country Commercial Guide, answers to 
frequently asked questions, as well as tips for using the Internet 
to access USG information and services, including through 
buyusa.gov.  Placing these resources into an "American Business 
Corner" in various Chambers of Commerce in Dhaka would extend the 
reach of our Trade Center and increase our ability to reach out to 
business here. 
 
¶8. Embassy officers now routinely carry our publications to meetings 
with government and business officials.  Our publications and 
current distribution networks promote economic reform and U.S. 
exports, both key MSP objectives.  Expanding access to these 
materials, and tailoring materials to clients' needs, would enable 
us to provide targeted and efficient responses to assistance 
requests.  If the concept is proven, additional American Business 
Corners could be established in other major cities in Bangladesh, 
giving us a much wider 'virtual' presence. 
 
¶9. Cost Estimate: Costs of printing promotional materials and 
preparing small American Business Corner information kiosks for 
placement in local Chambers of Commerce would run approximately 
$4,000. 
 
¶10.  Points of contact for Econ/Commercial issues at Embassy Dhaka 
are: 
 
John Dunham 
Economic/Commercial Officer 
US Embassy Dhaka, Bangladesh 
Tel: (880-2) 855-5500 x 4178 
DunhamJD@state.gov 
 
Heather Variava 
Deputy Pol/Econ Chief 
U.S. Embassy Dhaka, Bangladesh 
Tel: (880-2) 855-5500 x 2532 
VariavaHC@state.gov 
 
Moriarty