The delegates held talks in this regard with the high officials of commerce ministry and representatives of top business organisations at the secretariat yesterday. Commerce secretary Md Aminur Rahman presided over the meeting.

Deputy Chairman of the International Affairs of Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industry Philippe Vindry led the six-member team of entrepreneurs.

Trade Commissioner of the Economic Division of French Embassy Dominique Simon, President of Bangladesh-France Chamber of Commerce and Industry Qaium Khan, Vice-chairman of Export Promotion Bureau Mir Shahabuddin Mohammad, President of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association Abdul Awal and representatives of BEPZA, FBCCI, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association and Bangladesh Knitwear Manu-facturers and Exporters Association were present.

The delegation has already visited Konabari Textile Mill in Gazipur on the first leg of spot visits to have a firsthand view of textile industry in Bangladesh.

They will next visit Dhaka Export Processing Zone, ceramic factory at Kaliakoir, medicine factory in Mirzapur, CEPZ, food-processing factory, knitting and dying factory in Narayanganj and textile mills.

All the 12 members of the visiting French delegation will hold talks with officials of the apex trade-body FBCCI and Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry during their five-day stay in Bangladesh.

Under tariff-and quota-free export facilities Bangladesh exported goods worth US$ 552.96 million to France while imported US$ 58.28 million worth of commodities in the two-way trade in 2003-2004.

Major exports from Bangladesh included readymade garments and home textiles, frozen foods, leather and leather products and ceramic tableware. Imports included prepared foodstuffs, vegetable products, machinery and mechanical appliances, electrical equipment, chemical and allied products, and textile and textile articles.