Leaders of the light engineering sector on Thursday said the government should allocate special fund for and give technical assistance to the sector for its
growth and to make it more export-oriented.
They made the demand at a seminar on problems and prospects of the light engineering sector in Bangladesh held at the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry’s conference room in the capital.
Bangladesh Engineering Industry Owners Association and Light Engineering Product Business Promotion Council jointly organised the seminar.
BEIOA consultant Masum Talukder in the key note paper said there was no fund dedicated for the light engineering sector since a Tk 5-crore allocation in 1980.
Masum said, ‘Technical support from the government has become an immediate need of the sector as it still uses conventional and backdated technology which has made it difficult for the businessmen to sustain their growth.’
Creating environment for transfer of modern technology to the light engineering sector by establishing industrial infrastructure could be a solution in modernising the sector, he said.
He also said frequent changes of policies and absence of a strong research and development cell at the National Board of Revenue to study industrial importance of any sector before setting up duty and tax were problems for industrial development in the country.
Commerce secretary Mahbub Ahmed said the light engineering sector could play an important role in the government’s step for diversifying products.
‘The sector is very much important to keep moving heavy industries. That’s why it is included as a thrust sector in the export policy.’
If owners of the light engineering units can make them capable to compete in the international market, Trade and Investment Cooperation Framework Agreement will be able to bring good results for them, he said.
BEIOA president and FBCCI director Abdur Razzaque said, ‘If the government ensures all technical and financial assistance for the sector, it will obviously bring good result for the country in terms of earning foreign currency.’
Different wings of the industries ministry can play vital role for the growth of the sector, but these are not working properly, he said.
-With New Age input
