Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DHAKA273
2006-01-19 01:01:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Dhaka
Cable title:  

BFIF FY06 PROPOSALS FOR BANGLADESH

Tags:  BEXP ABUD ETRD EINV BTIO BG 
pdf how-to read a cable
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 DHAKA 000273 

SIPDIS

EB FOR DENNIS WINSTEAD AND EB/EX
NEW DELHI FOR FCS

E.O. 12958: DECL: N/A
TAGS: BEXP ABUD ETRD EINV BTIO BG
SUBJECT: BFIF FY06 PROPOSALS FOR BANGLADESH

Ref: A) SECSTATE 215954
B) DHAKA 5572

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 DHAKA 000273

SIPDIS

EB FOR DENNIS WINSTEAD AND EB/EX
NEW DELHI FOR FCS

E.O. 12958: DECL: N/A
TAGS: BEXP ABUD ETRD EINV BTIO BG
SUBJECT: BFIF FY06 PROPOSALS FOR BANGLADESH

Ref: A) SECSTATE 215954
B) DHAKA 5572


1. Embassy Dhaka welcomes the opportunity to submit
the following request, totaling $11,000, for the
FY06 Business Facilitation Incentive Fund (BFIF).
Support from BFIF FY05 grants resulted in numerous
achievements (ref B),and continues to position the
Embassy's U.S. Trade Center to expand its activities
substantially in FY06. In accordance with the BFIF
proposal instructions (ref A),post has concentrated
its proposal for this year in four thematic areas:
i) Promoting Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) ii)
Combating Corruption in Business Practices iii)
Trade Center activities during America Week, and iv)
Printing and Publication of Export Promotion
materials.

-------------- --------------
Priority One: IPR Seminars
-------------- --------------


2. Post requests BFIF for Seminars on IPR promotion
to be held in four Bangladeshi cities - Sylhet,
Khulna, and Rajshahi, and Chittagong - between June
and September. We are planning 10 monthly seminars
in various Bangladeshi universities to increase
public awareness to the growing problem of IPR
infringement in Bangladesh. We plan on using BFIF
for such seminars in universities outside of the
Dhaka metropolitan area.


3. Justification and Planning Milestones: Post has
recently noticed an increase in IPR infringement of
U.S. rights holders. Several U.S. corporations with
interests in Bangladesh have recently contacted us
regarding infringement of their trademarks, trade-
names and copyrights. Our seminars are expected to
highlight this growing problem in public forums to
increase public awareness and encourage government
action. The Embassy organized an IPR Conference in
July 2005 that generated large-scale interest in the
public and private sectors. To continue the
momentum generated by the July event, we are
planning 10 seminars at various universities around
the country this year, four of them outside Dhaka.


4. Performance metrics/MPP priority: Increasing

public awareness to this growing problem will ensure
greater compliance to existing laws and would
encourage stronger enforcement from the Bangladeshi
government. Pressuring the BDG to reform IPR laws
and policies and strengthen enforcement measures
will have a direct impact on sale of legitimate U.S.
products in Bangladesh, a key MPP objective.


5. Cost estimate: We estimate the cost of holding
these four seminars to be $4,000. This estimate
includes the cost of airfare, hotel, and per diem
for one Economic/commercial officer, Economic/
Commercial Specialist and airfare and lodging for
two IPR experts and printing and advertising costs
($500).

-------------- --------------
Priority Two: Conference on Combating Corruption
-------------- --------------

6. Post plans to organize a Conference on Combating
Corruption in Bangladesh Business Practices.
Corruption is widespread in Bangladeshi business
practices, especially in public procurement cases.
Post advocates regularly on behalf of U.S.
corporations that have lost out on public tenders
due to unfair and corrupt tactics by other bidders.
Post intends to organize this conference, with the
American Chamber of Commerce, to address corruption
in public tenders and to educate agents of U.S.
corporations about the Foreign Corrupt Practices
Act. Bangladesh government officials, U.S.
corporations, local agents of U.S. corporate
interests, and other multinationals represented in
Bangladesh will be the target audience.


7. Justification and planning milestones: The
majority of advocacy cases that post is currently
dealing with are a direct result of rampant
corruption in the public procurement process. We
have also noticed that many local agents of U.S.
corporations are engaging in corruption either
because they are unaware of their obligations under
the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act or they are
choosing to ignore them. This Conference is
intended to educate and inform BDG officials and
agents of multinationals about international
standards for public procurement.


8. Performance metrics/MPP priority: Post is
planning this Conference to address the growing
problem of corruption even among local agents of
American companies. We also see this as an
opportunity to publicly discuss this issue with BDG
officials. This seminar will promote economic
reform and ultimately U.S. exports, both key MPP
objectives.


9. Cost Estimate: We estimate the cost of holding
this seminar to be $2,500. This estimate includes
the cost of renting the ballroom of a centrally
located hotel ($1,500); printing of banners and
brochures ($800); distribution of press releases and
photographs ($200).

-------------- --------------
Priority three: America Week in Chittagong
-------------- --------------

10. Post is organizing its annual America Week event
in Chittagong, which is scheduled for March. The
Trade Center routinely organizes trade events during
America Week to showcase American products and
services. Post intends to use BFIF to organize
economic activities during America Week including an
Economic Roundtable with the Chittagong Chamber of
Commerce.


11. Justification and planning milestones:
Chittagong is the major port city in Bangladesh and
is therefore the hub for businesses involved in
international trade. Post intends to use the
America Week event to focus on business activities
in Chittagong and highlight pressing issues in the
Chittagong business context. Organizing commerce-
related events in Chittagong will help the
Econ/Commercial section make contacts with business
leaders in Chittagong and address concerns importers
face in dealing with the port in Chittagong.


12. Performance metrics/MPP priority: Embassy Dhaka
organizes annual America Week events in major cities
to showcase all aspects of Embassy activities.
Given Chittagong's importance as a business city,
the Embassy intends to prominently promote the
activities of the Trade Center. Trade promotion
activities during America Week, an MPP objective,
will significantly increase exposure of U.S. goods
and services to buyers in Chittagong.


13. Cost estimate: We estimate the cost of our
activites in Chittagong to be $2,000. This estimate
includes the cost of renting the ballroom of Agrabad
hotel ($1,000),printing of banners brochures ($800)
and distribution of press releases and pictures
($200).

--------------
Priority four: Printing outreach materials
--------------


14. Post would like to use BFIF to cover the
printing costs of various publications that are
essential to our outreach efforts. Our quarterly
newsletter advertises upcoming trade shows,
highlights the export potential of a variety of U.S.
products and services, promotes economic reform, and
summarizes the Ambassador's recent speeches on trade
issues. Our Trade Center brochure describes our
commercial services, contains an export promotion
message from the Ambassador, and has information on
our hours of operation, phone/fax numbers and
internet address. Post also plans to print and bind
its Country Commercial Guide and produce a small
laminated card (about the size of a business card)
with the phone numbers and email addresses of our
Trade Center FSNs.


15. Justification and planning milestones: Post
distributes its outreach material to walk-in Trade
Center visitors, potential purchasers of U.S. goods
and services who attend our catalog shows and
America Week events, and visitors who pass by our
Trade Center booth at the annual U.S. Trade Show,
organized jointly by the Embassy and the American
Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh. We mail our
newsletter to Chamber officials, AmCham members,
officers of Bangladesh's largest firms, BDG commerce
and trade officials, and even U.S. Congressmen. We
distribute our Country Commercial Guide to American
businessmen showing an interest in Bangladesh. We
will draft and print our quarterly newsletter in
March, June, September, and December. Our other
publications will be printed in June.


16. Performance metrics/MPP priority: Embassy
officers now routinely carry our publications (the
newsletter and country commercial guide) to meetings
with government and business officials. Our
publications promote economic reform and U.S.
exports, both key MPP objectives.


17. Cost Estimate: We estimate the cost of this
proposal to be $1,300. This estimate includes the
cost of printing our newsletter, Country Commercial
Guide, Trade Center brochure, and small cards.


18. Post appreciates the Department's consideration
of our FY06 proposals. The point of contact for
BFIF projects is Economic/Commercial Officer Dayle
Rebecca Johns.
Chammas