Export development a top priority of govt

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FE Report
Md Abu Solaiman Chowdhury, Chairman of the Bangladesh Privatisation Commission, Monday said Bangladesh has been trying to increase its export earnings by not only enhancing the export volume but also expanding the range of exportable products.
Chowdhury was speaking as the chief guest at a seminar on "Export Diversification: Strategies and Imperatives" organised by the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) at its auditorium in the capital Monday.
Mentioning export development as a top priority of the government, Chowdhury said to survive in the global competition, diversification of product, marketing and method appears to be an indispensable strategy for Bangladesh.
He further said agro processing, light engineering, shoe and leather products, pharmaceuticals and software have tremendous potentials for export diversification.
Besides, there is also potential to exploring scopes of regional trade collaborations.
With Mohammad Shah Alam, member of the Planning Commission, in the chair Abdur Razzak, director of FBCCI, Ashrafur Rahman, managing director of Nipun Crafts Ltd, and about 50 businessmen took part in the discussion.
Presenting a keynote paper, director of the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), Abdur Rahman, said Bangladesh trade regime shall be updated and liberalised to keep pace with the WTO system and globalisation process.
Side by side arranging more and more international trade fairs, Chowdhury stressed the need for deregulation and simplification of export procedures and added for exchanging of trade delegations to the target markets.
Abdur Razzak, director of the FBCCI, stressed the need for formulation and implementation of export diversification programme, strengthening and improving institutional framework and establishment of export wings for specific products in EPB.
Besides, Razzak underscored the need for removing the procedural bottlenecks in the field of export with a call to build and expand capability to supply more goods and services.
However, speakers stressed the need for more assistance of the government to the sectors like agro and agro proceed products, light engineering, shoes and leathers, pharmaceuticals, software and ICT, home textiles, handicrafts, raw jute and tribal handloom products to over come narrow export base.