Beximco and New China

Several weeks ago, the embassy took a field trip to Beximco, the largest private sector group in Bangladesh. The flagship platform now has operations and investments across a wide range of industries including textiles, trading, marine food, real estate development, hospitality, construction, information and communication technologies, media, ceramics, aviation, pharmaceuticals, financial services and energy. The Group sells its products and services in the domestic Bangladesh market as well as international markets. BEXIMCO is the largest employer in the private sector in Bangladesh and employs over 48,000 people worldwide. The Group’s global clients include some of the world’s best known brands including BT, BASF, Chevron, Calvin Klein, H&M, JC Penney, Macys, Zara, UNICEF, Royal Doulton and Villeroy & Boch. 

The factories are beautifully functional, organized and safe. The workers looked content, you could even hear laughter in some sections and the labor standards were very high. It was a nice change to the conditions most Bangladeshis experience in their work environment.

You can pretty much bet 99% of people posted in Bangladesh exit post with either pearls or china dishes (or both). The usually annual trip to the Beximco factories is educational and interesting, but it also offers great discounts on beautiful dinnerware. 

Though not formal people, we do love to have gatherings of friends and entertain. We've never seen a need for anything beyond our solo cups and melamene plates, but after over 2 years in the Foreign Service, nicer dinnerware and glasses were on our list for "to buy" items before heading out to our next overseas post. Check one off the list; I picked it up yesterday. We went with simple, as in 30 years I want it to still be in use. We can change the tablecloth to jazz it up or keep it in style.