Moriarty calls for setting up environ-friendly industries
Friday, 31 July 2009
FE Report
US Ambassador James F Moriarty Thursday urged Bangladesh to set up environment-friendly industries to promote access of its products to the developed market.
"Bangladesh can put emphasis on labour-intensive small and medium industries such as toys, plastic, light engineering, footwear and software on top of readymade garments to achieve rapid economic progress," the ambassador said during his meeting with Industries Minister Dilip Barua at the latter's office in the capital.
The two talked on a wide range of issues such as increase of foreign investment, joint investment in prospective industries, financing small and medium entrepreneurs, environment-friendly industrialisation and the country's political stability and the law and order situation.
Dilip Barua told the ambassador that the new industrial policy would give utmost importance to boosting of the private sector.
"The government will give priority to public-private partnership to build an industrial Bangladesh," a government handout quoted the minister as saying.
The government will introduce one stop service to attract both local and foreign investors, Mr. Barua said.
The minister told the ambassador that his government would provide all-out assistance to entrepreneurs to help flourish the environment-friendly SMEs.
"A separate SME Bank will be established to facilitate financing to the small and medium enterprises," he said.
Mr. Barua drew the attention of Mr. Moriarty to attracting US investors to Bangladesh's prospective sectors such as shipbuilding, pharmaceuticals, light engineering and plastic.
"The government will also offer special facilities to the local and foreign entrepreneurs if they invest in the proposed special economic zones," he said further.
Mr. Moriarty added: "Uninterrupted supply of electricity and gas and infrastructure facilities have to be increased to strengthen industrialisation in Bangladesh."
Industries Secretary Dewan Zakir Hossain was present, among others, during the meeting.
US Ambassador James F Moriarty Thursday urged Bangladesh to set up environment-friendly industries to promote access of its products to the developed market.
"Bangladesh can put emphasis on labour-intensive small and medium industries such as toys, plastic, light engineering, footwear and software on top of readymade garments to achieve rapid economic progress," the ambassador said during his meeting with Industries Minister Dilip Barua at the latter's office in the capital.
The two talked on a wide range of issues such as increase of foreign investment, joint investment in prospective industries, financing small and medium entrepreneurs, environment-friendly industrialisation and the country's political stability and the law and order situation.
Dilip Barua told the ambassador that the new industrial policy would give utmost importance to boosting of the private sector.
"The government will give priority to public-private partnership to build an industrial Bangladesh," a government handout quoted the minister as saying.
The government will introduce one stop service to attract both local and foreign investors, Mr. Barua said.
The minister told the ambassador that his government would provide all-out assistance to entrepreneurs to help flourish the environment-friendly SMEs.
"A separate SME Bank will be established to facilitate financing to the small and medium enterprises," he said.
Mr. Barua drew the attention of Mr. Moriarty to attracting US investors to Bangladesh's prospective sectors such as shipbuilding, pharmaceuticals, light engineering and plastic.
"The government will also offer special facilities to the local and foreign entrepreneurs if they invest in the proposed special economic zones," he said further.
Mr. Moriarty added: "Uninterrupted supply of electricity and gas and infrastructure facilities have to be increased to strengthen industrialisation in Bangladesh."
Industries Secretary Dewan Zakir Hossain was present, among others, during the meeting.