Frozen food assoc, Women Chamber of Commerce hail budget

FE Report
Bangladesh raw jute exporters have expressed mixed reaction over the proposed budget for fiscal year 2014-15, saying the budget did not mention anything for protecting the interest of the country's raw jute exporters and traders.
The leaders of Bangladesh Jute Association (BJA) urged the finance minister to solve crisis of jute sector in the new budget.
They said of the total production, two- third raw jute is being used in the local jute mills and rest of the item is exported in international market fetching a good amount of foreign exchange.
They said the demand of jute is increasing day by day. The raw jute exporters earn foreign currency equivalent to Tk 15 billion to 20 billion each year.
"But the sector remained ignored in the 2013-14 budget. The association leaders also hailed the proposed budget saying government has waived import duty on capital machineries and did not hike tax measures on exporters and also trying to allocate incentives," the BJA said.
Frozen food exporter's assoc
The country's frozen food exporter's association termed the proposed budget for the fiscal year (FY) 2014-15 agriculture-friendly and pro-development one.
Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters Association President Md Amin Ullah however, requested to fix the tax at source for all export sectors at 0.30 per cent as provided to the readymade garment sector, said a press release.
He hailed the continuation of 10 per cent cash incentive for frozen food (shrimp) sector in the proposed budget and urged to reinstate cash incentive for frozen white fish export for the national budget for FY 2014-15.
BFFEA president urged the finance minister to increase the cash incentive allocation Tk 10.00 billion more for the exporters to keep pace with the increasing export growth annually. Otherwise export activities will be hampered.    
The BFFEA president said that the government's necessary steps for the development of power sector is a positive initiative for the industrial development.
He hailed more allocation for human resource, agriculture, power and communication sector in the proposed budget which will speed up entire development of the country.
BFFEA senior vice president Kazi Bellayet Hossain said encouraging fish production for commercial purposes, taking step to formulate shrimp policy 2014 and registration of country farmers is time befitting initiative.
Mr Hossain said implementation of traceability act for exporting goods in abroad is also a significant initiative.
Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BWCCI) hailed continuation of Tk 1.00 billion (Tk 100 crores) as grant for women entrepreneurs in the proposed national budget for fiscal year (FY) 2014-15.
BWCCI thanked the Finance Minister AMA Muhith for extending of credit facilities to women entrepreneurs which will economically empower them to accelerate the overall development of Bangladesh, said a press release.
BWCCI recommended incorporating introducing tax-free income limit up to Tk. 350,000 for women and introducing single digit interest rate for women entrepreneurs against bank loan in the national budget 2014-15.