[🇧🇩] Can Bangla-Saudi Relation be elevated to Strategic Level?

[Bilal9]

Aside from exporting garments, we should pursue Saudis to invest in our hydrocarbon and defense sectors. We are totally depended on America for hydrocarbon exploration. This needs to be changed. And also our defense sector can be greatly benefitted if Saudis invest in weapons manufacturing in Bangladesh. BOF (Bangladesh Ordnance Factory), BMTF (Bangladesh Machine Tools Factory), KSY (Khulna Shipyard), and Narayanganj Shipyard are some of the potential areas where we should draw Saudi investment. What do you say?

All these are potential areas of investment but I see Polyester Staple fiber projects and shipbuilding as the most promising, they are strategic for our national development. The first needs massive capital outlay and the two main ingredients (ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid) both come from Saudi Arabia (SABINCO being a major player) which will be exported to Bangladesh to be converted to Polyester Staple fiber.

The second is shipbuilding - where massive amounts of skilled labor is needed. Bangladesh can specialize in smaller coastal and specialized logistics and fishery ships which India, China or Vietnam will find hard to compete in.

I am not so sure Saudis will be interested in investing in military production - that will be better directed toward companies like NORINCO maybe. China has perfected low cost (But high quality) defence products.

 

[Mb444]

Saudi government is trying to diversify it’s economy.

Its primary strategy has been to invest abroad. Given where BD was it is not a surprise that SA did not invest because as an investor it sought to invest in tech and in stable and growing stockmarkets. BD still ranks as an emerging market and the inherent risk that implies.

However oil remains SA economies mainstay. Because they have such high reserves they have not bothered to explore beyond their land border with much vigor. But here I think we can speak to SA. Ask them to explore oil reserves in the Bay. Along with SA manifa bay and Red Sea project a bengal exploration arm will deliver cost reduction through economies of scale in the immediate term to them . In the medium term huge profit that is to made with such venture.

I believe such a proposal can be win-win for both nation but will require proactive action from BD.

 

[Saif]

All these are potential areas of investment but I see Polyester Staple fiber projects and shipbuilding as the most promising, they are strategic for our national development. The first needs massive capital outlay and the two main ingredients (ethylene glycol and terephthalic acid) both come from Saudi Arabia (SABINCO being a major player) which will be exported to Bangladesh to be converted to Polyester Staple fiber.

The second is shipbuilding - where massive amounts of skilled labor is needed. Bangladesh can specialize in smaller coastal and specialized logistics and fishery ships which India, China or Vietnam will find hard to compete in.

I am not so sure Saudis will be interested in investing in military production - that will be better directed toward companies like NORINCO maybe. China has perfected low cost (But high quality) defence products.

A few months ago, Saudis offered Bangladesh 8 tactical transport planes which they manufactured locally. Saudis are investing heavily in military hardware production to gain self-sufficiency in defense. Our defense production capacity is very limited. Saudi investment can change this. All we have to do is convince the Saudis that our defense industry has potentials. NORINCO is an automatic choice as we import 80% of our defense products from China. Saudi money and NORINCO's technology can do magic in building our indigenous defense industry.

 

[Bilal9]

A few months ago, Saudis offered Bangladesh 8 tactical transport planes which they manufactured locally. Saudis are investing heavily in military hardware production to gain self-sufficiency in defense. Our defense production capacity is very limited. Saudi investment can change this. All we have to do is convince the Saudis that our defense industry has potentials. NORINCO is an automatic choice as we import 80% of our defense products from China. Saudi money and NORINCO's technology can do magic in building our indigenous defense industry.

You are correct - this is a good strategy.

I guess this is the Ukrainian JV aircraft project the Saudis had cancelled after building six examples. So I don't know if they actually ended up building six or eight and they wanted to sell Bangladesh the tooling I guess. Saudis cancelled the project in favor of expanding their C-130 fleet instead of building these.

Actually we still use the daddy of this airplane, the AN-32. All of these Ukrainian designs are made for using dirt airstrips and are tough as nails.

If they gave us the tooling at a good price, it'd be a good choice for a nascent aviation industry like ours.

Antonov/Taqnia An-132​