What is the potential for Russia as an export destination?
Bangladeshi businesspeople have not really explored Russia’s potential. Russia remains by far the biggest unexplored market for Bangladeshi products. The vast majority of the population depend on value items mainly from China. Bangladesh should try to make inroads into this huge market. But there are challenges. The market here has been grabbed by Chinese and Vietnamese traders. Many of them were students here in Russia, and are fluent in Russian. Bangladeshi businesspeople have to prove themselves in competition with them — overcome the language and cultural barriers, etc. You mention Russia’s trading culture. What is the modus operandi for doing business in Russia? Cool cash is best — in Dollars or Rubles! There was a time during the chaotic 90s when movement of goods in smaller quantities between traders were all in cash and in terms of WYSIWYG (What you see is what you get). While the situation has changed somewhat through government controls, much of the trading is still carried
