DHAKA, March 31, 2019 (BSS)-Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today stressed
the need for diversifying industries and exploring new domestic and international
markets to ensure the overall development of the country.
“We could diversify our industry. —the industrial entrepreneurs should
think about innovative ideas and use new technology to explore local and
international markets,” she said while inaugurating the first ‘National
Industrial Fair-2019’ at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC)
here.
The premier said Bangladesh is an agriculture-based country and no country
can sustain without industry. “So there should be diversification of
industries,”she said.
Food processing industry has a great prospect, she said, urging the
industrial entrepreneurs to take necessary measures to preserve the food
items alongside its production while setting up processing industries.
Bangladesh has achieved self sufficiency in producing foods, fish and
vegetables while it secured fourth position in food and vegetable production
and third in production of sweet water fish, she mentioned.
If it is possible to preserve the food items scientifically maintaining
quality the items would be able to attract both local and international
markets which would change the fate of village people, she continued.
She stressed the need for setting up laboratories for examining the
quality of food items.
The premier asked the industrialists to work further for the welfare of the
nation to make Bangladesh a developed and prosperous country by 2041.
She, however, said the ‘National Industrial Fair, 2019′ will help to
promote local industrial entrepreneurs’ products and attract foreign and
local investment.
Industries Ministry organized the weeklong ‘National Industrial Fair-2019’
at BICC in the city. The event will end on April 6.
Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun, MP, presided over the
function while Industries Secretary Md. Abdul Halim gave the welcome address.
PM’s Private Industry and Investment Adviser Salman Fazlur Rahman, State
Minister Kamal Ahmed Majumder and president of Federation of Bangladesh
Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI) Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin spoke on
the occasion.
The fair is open for all from 10:00am to 8:00pm.
As many as 3000 organisations are taking part in the fair to display
country-made jute goods, food and agro products, leather items, electrical
and electronics products, plastics and handicrafts.
The premier recalled the contribution of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu
Sheikh Mujibur Rahman to initiating the process of industrialisation when he
was minister in 1954 and 1956, saying that Bangabandhu had set up estate of
Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation (BSCIC) in every district
across the country.
Bangabandhu nationalized all the industries which were in an abandoned
condition during the nine months of the Liberation War and also set up a bank
at that time to give a boost to industrilisation, she also said.
She also put emphasis on production and processing of aquatic animals such
as fish, frog, crab and seaweed to export those abroad as there are 450 such
species in the vast sea areas which were won by Bangladesh (after legal
battle).
Agriculture should be mechanized and modernized to attract the well
educated people as there is a huge scope of job employment in the sector, she
also said.
Bangladesh is now building ships and exporting those abroad while it has a
good reputation in exporting leather and leather goods, she said. She put
emphasis on setting up modern butcheries to process leathers and other
refuses of cows as nothing of them are useless.
The premier also stressed the need for flourishing the industry of
producing digital divide to explore its huge potential in export and
employment as well.
Highlighting her government initiatives for developing the country’s
overall communications system with setting up and modernizing airports, land
ports, highways, bridges, and culverts and said these have made the way of
industrialization much easier.
Ninety three percent people have already been brought under the coverage
of power, she continued.
The premier asked the bank owners to cut down the interest rate of loan to
single digit to encourage industrialization, and at the same time asked the
businessmen to repay loan or interest on time.
She, however, expressed dismay over not decreasing interest rate of bank
loan to single digit despite giving various benefits by the government.
The premier asked the businessmen to introduce a better waste management
system keeping environmental issues in mind when setting up industries.
She said the government is setting up 100 economic zones across the
country to increase job opportunities and local and foreign investment as
well. Once the zones are built, Bangladesh will be a developed and prosperous
country, she added.
The government has taken a number of steps to attract foreign and local
investments to make Bangladesh a middle-income country by 2021 and a
developed one by 2041, the premier said.
She added: the GDP growth and the per capita income will be 8.13 and $1909
respectively this year.
The government will observe Golden Jubilee of Independence in 2021 and the
birth centenary of Father of Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on 2020
across the country with a huge canvas.
The government has already declared 2020-2021 as the ‘Mujib Year’.