Industrial park for plastic goods by Sep: Barua
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
FE Report
The government will set up an industrial park by September to shift old Dhaka-based plastic goods factories there, thus aid the sector's development, industries minister Dilip Barua said Tuesday. "We will expedite the process for the park and I think it can take six months," he said. The minister's pledge came as he met with a delegation of the Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BPGMEA) at his office in Dhaka. Plastic products manufacturers demanded immediate work to set up the industrial park and remove the barriers. The team, led by president of the trade body Shahedul Islam Helal, apprised the minister of the problems and prospects in the sector. "The industrial park for the plastic sector is a crying need not for big factories only, also for small and medium ones in old Dhaka," Mr. Helal said. The factories situated in old Dhaka manufacture quality products but foreign buyers are not interested to buy those on environmental grounds, he said. Locally produced plastic goods have huge demand in the global market and relocation of those factories is a must to grab the opportunity, Jasim Uddin, senior vice president of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI), said. The BPGMEA leaders demanded an immediate action plan to set up the park, saying this will also help avoid the recurrence of Nimtali tragedy. "The government has banned polythene shopping bags, but polythene is not prohibited in the law of the land. So any wrong decision will hinder the economic development of the packaging sector," Jashim Uddin said. The leaders also demanded necessary steps to remove the barriers to the mandatory use of jute bags, which has threatened factories making woven sacks. The manufacturers said plastic products are being exported to many countries after meeting the domestic demand. Local manufacturers produce plastic goods worth Tk 90 billion (Tk 9000 crore) for both the local and international markets annually and the annual exports have reached Tk 5.0 billion (Tk 600 crore). Shamim Ahmed, senior vice-president and KM Iqbal Hossain, vice president of the association, were also present at the meeting.
The government will set up an industrial park by September to shift old Dhaka-based plastic goods factories there, thus aid the sector's development, industries minister Dilip Barua said Tuesday. "We will expedite the process for the park and I think it can take six months," he said. The minister's pledge came as he met with a delegation of the Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BPGMEA) at his office in Dhaka. Plastic products manufacturers demanded immediate work to set up the industrial park and remove the barriers. The team, led by president of the trade body Shahedul Islam Helal, apprised the minister of the problems and prospects in the sector. "The industrial park for the plastic sector is a crying need not for big factories only, also for small and medium ones in old Dhaka," Mr. Helal said. The factories situated in old Dhaka manufacture quality products but foreign buyers are not interested to buy those on environmental grounds, he said. Locally produced plastic goods have huge demand in the global market and relocation of those factories is a must to grab the opportunity, Jasim Uddin, senior vice president of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI), said. The BPGMEA leaders demanded an immediate action plan to set up the park, saying this will also help avoid the recurrence of Nimtali tragedy. "The government has banned polythene shopping bags, but polythene is not prohibited in the law of the land. So any wrong decision will hinder the economic development of the packaging sector," Jashim Uddin said. The leaders also demanded necessary steps to remove the barriers to the mandatory use of jute bags, which has threatened factories making woven sacks. The manufacturers said plastic products are being exported to many countries after meeting the domestic demand. Local manufacturers produce plastic goods worth Tk 90 billion (Tk 9000 crore) for both the local and international markets annually and the annual exports have reached Tk 5.0 billion (Tk 600 crore). Shamim Ahmed, senior vice-president and KM Iqbal Hossain, vice president of the association, were also present at the meeting.