Koreans urged to start jt venture shipbuilding

Shipping Minister Akbar Hossain yesterday invited Korean shipbuilders to start shipbuilding under joint venture here, saying that Bangladesh would be able to make high-tech, economically viable ships in collaboration with them.

He made the offer when South Korean Ambassador in Dhaka Kyu-Hyung Lee met him at his office. They discussed cooperation between the two countries in this sector.

Korean shipping industry is a developed one, the shipping minister said, and if Korea came up with joint venture with the government or private shipbuilders, Bangladesh would be able to build high-tech ships.

"We have a plan to procure container ships with 7-8 hundred TUC capacity in future, but we are interested to collect the ships from Bangladeshi shipyards," Akbar told the envoy.

The Korean Ambassador assured that necessary steps would be taken in this regard. He expressed the interest of his country in involving with other development activities at the Chittagong Port.

"The Koreans have already built innumerable industries in this country and the Korean community feels comfortable living and working here," the diplomat said.