DHAKA, -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’.
