The UK’s southern coastal town of Portsmouth is all set to be twinned with Sylhet, a move to be formalised during a visit to Bangladesh by representatives of the local British authority later this year.
The Portsmouth City Council, along with the newly-formed Portsmouth Bangladesh Business Association (PBBA), the University of Portsmouth, the port and other organisations, are part of the initiative to officially become a Sister City of Sylhet – where many of Portsmouth's around 10,000-strong Bangladeshi community have roots.
“Businesses from both places will be able to not only trade and sell goods but will be able to learn from each other about how to boost and market their businesses as well as how to make certain products,” said PBBA vice-chair Shipa Ahmed Khan.
“The GDP in Bangladesh is one of the fastest-growing in the world. Young middle-class people there have more money now and want to spend it,” she said.
The University of Portsmouth, which already has a representative based in Sylhet, is hoping to attract more students from Bangladesh to the city as well as begin an academic partnership.
Bobby Mehta, Director of the University of Portsmouth Global, said: “We are hoping by working with the city council and the local community we will be able to build relationships in Bangladesh to progress research we are doing.
“For example, at the moment we are doing a lot of research on plastic and other issues that are global and don't just affect Portsmouth. They might have resources and knowledge we don't have, and similarly, it could work the other way around.”
The recommendation for Portsmouth to enter into a “Sister City relationship” with the Sylhet City Corporation and for the council’s Economic Development Manager to devise a formal work plan linked to operational economic development results which will benefit both cities was mooted back in March this year.
“A considerable proportion of the Bangladeshi community in Portsmouth are from Sylhet and the immediate region of Bangladesh and there would be clear opportunities for business development between both cities through community members. We are also aware that members of the Bangladeshi community here in Portsmouth also have good political links as a number of key figures in the national Bangladeshi political framework come from the Sylhet area,” the council notes.
“The focus for the agreed work plan should consider supporting economic development between the two cities along with the development of student growth between the Universities and shared learning opportunities initially at a higher education level,” it adds.
The trade mission from Portsmouth to Sylhet is planned for November 16-22, when the twinning project will become official.
“We have to be masters of our own destiny here. We can either sit back and let things happen to us or be proactive and reach out to other possibilities. We have got a really significant community here with really great people and we should make the most of that,” said Councillor Steve Pitt, Deputy Leader of Portsmouth Council.
