German Lawmakers Urge Business to Look at Bangladesh, Where Solar, Elder Care and IT Could Open New Markets

Cross-party Bundestag delegation says the South Asian nation is underrated in Germany as Dhaka seeks to move beyond garments

DHAKA, Bangladesh. Three members of Germany’s Bundestag, Nicklas Kappe of the CDU/CSU, Johann Saathoff of the SPD and Gerold Otten of the AfD, ended a two-day visit here with a pitch aimed as much at German boardrooms as at officials in Dhaka: Bangladesh is a bigger opportunity than Germany’s business community appreciates.

The delegation met members of parliament and a committee, spoke with the law minister at a reception, and toured German-owned operations already in the country. One member, on his second visit in two years, said he came back because he had promised to.

“It is even at the second time very impressive to see the potential of the country,” he said. “From a German perspective someone could think that Bangladesh is a little bit underestimated.”

Correcting that perception is part of the job, the delegation said. They want their experiences “published in Germany as well, so that this phase of underestimation is somehow coming to an end.”

Politics Settle, Investors Take Note

The trip followed a turbulent stretch. One lawmaker said he spoke with candidates before the recent election, and “nobody exactly knew how it would develop.” A stable government has since taken office. “It’s a good condition for the country to develop,” he said.

A member of the Foreign Affairs Committee called the government “very ambitious” and eager to reform, describing talks with Bangladeshi counterparts as “very open.” Officials, he said, are “not looking too much into the past, looking into the future.” He also pointed to Bangladesh’s young population, which wants “a better future for themselves, for their families.”

Beyond Textiles

Bangladesh’s export economy leans heavily on garments, and German companies are already part of that chain. “A lot of Germany companies are delivering pre-products to the textile industry,” one lawmaker said.

The delegation sees a strategic shift under way. The government is “looking for diversification,” he said, “and I think this is a good path ahead.” A broader industrial base could mean new customers for German machinery and technology suppliers, though the lawmakers offered no specifics.

Solar Power

Renewable energy drew the most concrete discussion. Bangladesh’s geography suits solar, the lawmakers said, and Germany has the technology. “Germany is a country which is very advanced in the technologies of renewable energy,” one member said. Bangladesh has “a big advantage, especially for solar energy, not so much for wind energy.”

A former small-town mayor in the group stressed that projects need local buy-in. “It is from utmost importance that the local communities are involved in the solutions,” he said. Both countries face climate risks: “Bangladesh is suffering from climate change as well as Germany is.”

A Labor Pipeline for Germany’s Aging Society

The most novel proposal ties Germany’s demographic strain to Bangladesh’s workforce. “Germany is an aging society, and we need people working in healthcare, and taking care of elderly people,” one lawmaker said. He cited training programs he had seen in India and elsewhere in Asia and suggested Bangladesh could follow: “Train them, have a language course. And then there are very good job opportunities also in Germany for these people.”

For German care providers and training institutions, that points to a possible recruitment channel, though he did not describe any program under discussion.

IT and Call Centres

The same lawmaker sees India as a template for services. “People here have the same education, the same level of ambition,” he said. “You can train people here, build up call centers in this area. I think it’s also a big opportunity for Bangladesh.”

Legal Reform

For foreign investors, legal certainty is often decisive, and the delegation saw encouraging signs. After speaking with the law minister, one member said, “there is some movement ahead, and you see the willingness to change, to modernize also the justice, the legal system.”

Lawmakers as Door-Openers

The lawmakers were clear that deals are not theirs to make. German firms already operating in Bangladesh represent “a very great opportunity already used by some companies,” one said, and “there might be even more space and even more areas to invest.” But, he added, “that’s then a question of the economy, not of the parliament.”

Their role, they said, is to build contacts and carry the message home.

Rohingya Crisis Complicates the Picture

The delegation also raised the burden of hosting Rohingya refugees, which one member called an international crisis requiring “an international answer.” Another said Western aid is being trimmed under budget pressure and that he favors holding it at current levels. Bangladesh, they said, will need international partners.

Asked whether he would return, one lawmaker didn’t hesitate. “Yeah, sure. I would sure like to,” he said, noting that he remains in a parliamentary friendship group focused on South Asia.