AB's Diary Screen Print India

AB'S DIARY

Sept 2010 Bangladesh beckons Indain brethren Let’s take trade relations with screen printing community members in our neighbouring country to a higher level Right from the very fi rst column of this series, I have always maintained that there are no strangers – only friends we haven’t met yet. Time and again, this contention has been proved right. Whenever people from the screen printing industry meet with their brethren from another country, there is always a meeting of minds and hearts. The scope for widening business options suddenly stares us in the face and one begins to wonder – why did we wait so long to take this fi rst step? I am not for one moment suggesting that it is completely smooth sailing for each and every transaction. There are teething troubles to be fi xed, reliable people to be identifi ed, unscrupulous people to be avoided, but then those are issues we deal with even while transacting business within our country itself. As long as one makes the effort to do a bit of homework, seek advice from established industry leaders and follow the business norms of prudence, there is a huge potential just waiting to be tapped. Bangladesh is one such area of opportunity that we have not exploited so far. What we need to ask ourselves at this juncture is how can Indo-Bangladesh printing industry ties be further strengthened ? There is immense scope for doing this because they have a national association in place – BGPA – and its offi ce bearers, especially President Mr. Zafar Iqbal Siddique, are helpful and likeminded. They have always guided us on local market conditions, aspects where there is scope for exploring joint ventures or collaborations, how Indian companies can work hand in hand with their Bangladeshi counterparts, and so on. They also understand the advantages of working together and leveraging the strengths that each country’s industry players bring to the table during a transaction. They too realise that it will take a series of transactions to bring the relations between business communities of both countries to a higher level. This will also require a major change in our mindset. Some of us believe (and logically too) that our neighbours are our biggest competitors. But then, consider the advantages of working together instead of as rivals? While there will always be areas where we compete, I believe that the remaining aspects where we can work together and the profi ts they will generate makes the challenge worth taking up. Remember the business adage - nothing ventured, nothing gained. I strongly believe that there is much to gain in this case if we extend our businesses across the Indian border and shake hands over business deals with our Bangladesh-based screen printing community brethren. "This will also require a major change in our mindset. Consider the advantages of working together instead of as rivals. While there will always be areas where we compete, I believe that the remaining aspects where we can work together and the profits they will generate makes the challenge worth taking up." Anil Brahmbhatt.