AFTER long being overlooked the Bangladeshi • market is increasingly getting the attention of Swedish business. Trade has expanded markedly during the last years and both imports and exports are presently at record-high levels.

Total value of exports from Bangladesh to Sweden rose to 65 million US dollars in 1999. while imports stood at 22 million USD after a jump of 64 per cent compared to 1998. Figures t >r the first months of this year indicates a continous upward trend.

The biggest export Items from Sweden includes paper and pulp, plastics and chemicals together with a wide variety of machinery and electronics.

Imports are dominated by garments and shoes but also includes porcelain and chemicals together with a wide variety of machinery and electronics.

Imports are dominated by garments and shoes but also includes porcelain and toys.

Almost 50 Swedish companies are represented in Bangladesh today in different sectors.

From telecbm to chocolate

In energy ABB is generating more than one third of the power in Bangladesh. The company is now focusing on projects to improve transmission and minimize system losses together with Power Development Board

In telecom Ericssion is the market-leader in Bangladesh directing roughly 60 per cent of all mobile telephone calls made in the country. Having set up a branch-office in Dhaka as late as 1997. Ericsson is expanding rapidly and is now working with both fixed line networks as well as cellular communication. The company Is co-operating with all three GSM-opera-tors (Grameen Phone. Actel and Sheba) and is a partner to the Bangladesh Telegraph and Telecom Board

In the paper and pulp sector Swedish trading House Elof Hansson has been highly active since 1952. The company has supplied raw material and machines. provided knowledge and expertise to many of the paper mills in the country. Most notably to Karnaphuli Paper Mill in the Chittagong Hill Tracts which was modernized by Elof Hansson in the early 1980s with the support of Swedish aid.

In machinery Volvo Penta is selling pumps and generators. Meanwhile. Swedish cars from Volvo has been purchased by the government of Bangladesh, a tribute to the quality and high safety that has always been associated with the brand.

In the garment sector Swedish buying house H&M is purchasing more than 30 million items every year from local suppliers Bangladesh. With H&M shops all over the Europe and expansion taking place in the United States, the demand is likely to remain high. Lin-dex, another Swedish buying house has recently set up an office in Bangladesh.

Wide representation

Other well-known Swedish companies represented in Bangladesh includes Tetra Pak in packing. Alfa-Laval in the processed food industry and Getinge in medical equipments

In fabrics, machines from Cala-tor and Iro are sold for weaving and knitting.

IKEA, one of the largest sellers of interior furnishing in the world, has just recently started to buy textiles from Bangladesh. Svedala. a leading manufacturer of equipment for construction, is delivering machines to LGED for road works.

In addition to the bigger names, numerous smaller Swedish companies are Active in Bangladesh selling everything from chocolate and batteries to toilet accessories and iron hooks for hangers in the garment industry.

As a small and open economy Sweden has always been heavily dependent upon trade. As part of GDP exports of goods and services amount to approximately 45 per cent.

As a small and open economy Sweden has always been heavily dependent upon trade. As part of GDP exports of goods and services amount to approximately 45 per cent.

Export companies in Sweden currently number almost 50000. but in fact a very small number of powerful groups ac-

count for the bulk of the trade. Some 95 per cent of all exports stem from less than a thousand companies.

Over the years Sweden’s export has evolved from raw materials and fuels to more sophisticated and highly developed products.

Wood products, pulp and iron ore account for less than 10 per cent of total exports The biggest sector is nowadays the engineering Industry that accounts for 55 per cent of tot.d exports. This includes the product group that is both the largest and fastest growing, namely mobile telephones where Ericsson has grown (<» become the largest export company.

The chemical industry has increased its share of exports under the lead of AstraZeneca and Pharmacia & Upjohn Among semi-manufacturers the paper Industry and the steel Industry are most widely represented.

Exports of foodstuff have traditionally been small but have increased rapidly in recent years. This is due partly to Sweden's entry into the EU which has facilitated exports, an partly to the success of a single product — Swedish vodka under the name of Absolute.