Trade consultative committee advises commerce ministry
Business leaders on Wednesday demanded that the government should immediately give gas connection to new industries and suitable industrial lands for relocating the readymade garment factories from cities to assist those to be compliant with labour and fire safety. At the first meeting of the trade consultative committee at Export Promotion Bureau in the capital, they said that the RMG factories, particularly which are housed in shared buildings, would not become complaint without to be shifted from the cities like Dhaka and Chittagong.
They also recommended formation of sector-wise sub-committees to identify and solve problems in expansion of internal trade and export.
Some of them also suggested that the government should appoint lobbyist firm for retaining GSP facilities in USA and take steps for branding Bangladesh worldwide.
Commerce minister Tofail Ahmed presided over the meeting.
The commerce ministry on March 9 formed the 27-memebr committee consisting of business leaders to advise the commerce minister to adopt policies for expanding and boosting the country’s trade and commerce.
At the meeting, Tofail assured the business leaders that the ministry would form sector-wise committees to solve problems on priority basis.
He also said that the government would remove the crisis of land and gas connection as it had already taken some steps including developing special economic zones and RMG industrial park which would go into operation within three years and exploring new gas fields.
The problems raised by business community will be solved through discussing with relevant ministries including the finance ministry, he said.
At the meeting, former president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry Annisul Huq sought industrial land near Dhaka and Chittagong or at the places having gas and electricity on emergency basis to relocate the RMG factories.
‘It would not be possible to make the RMG factories housed in shared buildings complaint without relocation from the overcrowded cities. RMG factories will be compliant within few years if land is provided,’ he said.
He also demanded that the government should provide gas connection within two months to the industries which remain idle despite setting up all necessary machinery.
Bangladesh Chamber of Industries president AK Azad said that the government should decide not to provide trade licence to any industries in Dhaka after five years.
‘Every factory should be relocated outside Dhaka to keep the city liveable. The government should complete the proposed special economic zones so that we can shift our factories,’ he said.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association president Atiqul Islam demanded that the government should allocate plots in the Korean Export Processing Zone in Chittagong to local RMG factories to be relocated from the shared buildings.
He also emphasised on appointing lobbyist firm for the Bangladesh RMG sector in USA and taking steps for branding the country.
Bangladesh Employers Federation
president Tapan Chowdhury said that the government should stop the harassment by environment officials in the name of compliance.
‘We all want to be compliant regarding environmental issues but Department of Environment will have to act logically,’ he said.
Apex Group chairman Syed Manzur Elahi said that the government should make industrial land available as many investors could not set up factories because of the scarcity of land.
Former FBCCI president Mir Nasir Hossain demanded that the government should ensure personal safety of businessmen and mass people.
Former FBCCI president Yussuf Abdullah Harun proposed formulation of different sector-wise committees to attract FDI, explore export market and solve problems investors are facing.
Bangladesh Association of Pharmaceutical Industries president Salman F Rahman said that many foreign investors wanted to shift their factories from China, India and other countries and the government would explore ways to tap the opportunities.
Commerce ministry senior secretary Mahbub Ahmed, FBCCI president Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed, Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Mohammad Shahjahan Khan, American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh chief executive officer Aftab Ul Islam, Foreign Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Rupali Chowdhury, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association vice-president Mohammad Hatem, Meghna Group of Industries chairman Mostafa Kamal, City Group of Industries chairman Fazlur Rahman, Abul Khair Group chairman Abul Kashem, Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association president Jashim Uddin, Exporters Association of Bangladesh Salam Murshedy, Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters Association president Amin Ullah, Bangladesh Textile Mills Association president Jahangir Alamin, Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Sangita Ahmed, Western Marine Shipyard Ltd managing director Saiful Alam, Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Mahbubul Alam, spoke, among others, at the meeting.
-With New Age input
