Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday suggested the businessmen to diversify the range of export destinations and export products to earn more foreign currency.
“Do not be too much dependent on traditional export products. Conduct study and find out destinations where the demand of Bangladeshi products is high. Explore those markets and export there,” Hasina told the businessmen.
The prime minister was inaugurating the month-long 18th Dhaka International Trade Fair (DITF) at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the capital as the chief guest.
Bangladesh has become second largest ready-made garment exporter country in the world, but the country has very good potentials also in the sectors of shipbuilding, furniture, jute and jute goods, agriculture and agricultural products, she said.
Regarding gas and power crisis in industrial units, Hasina assured the businessmen that her government is constructing 27 power plants having 5,000 megawatt (MW) electricity generation capacity.
Moreover, by June, Bangladesh will import 250MW of electricity from India to meet the growing demand for power, she said adding that the government has signed an agreement with Russia to set up a 1000MW nuclear power plant.
Welcoming the businessmen on the occasion of the New Year, Hasina also assured them that the government has a plan to set up three coal-fired power plants in the country.
Boasting the central bank’s $13billion reserve money, the premier also said she will allow the 4G mobile technology soon.
At the inaugural ceremony, Commerce Minister GM Quader said Bangladesh needs to export more high value added garment items as the demand of such products is high globally.
“In this competitive world production of goods is not enough, but to maintain quality and marketing are also important,” Quader said.
Shubhashish Bose, vice-chairman of the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), Commerce Secretary Mahbub Ahmed, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce ABM Abul Kashem and the President of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed also spoke.
The commerce ministry and EPB have jointly organised the DITF where total of 506 local and international stalls participated to exhibit their products.
Thirty-one organisations from 12 countries are participating in the fair along with Bangladeshi organisations. The first DIFT held in 1995.
Source: The Daily Star
