BAJUS president pushes for jewellery industry

Bangladesh can earn billions of dollars in foreign exchange every year, if its jewellery sector can be made vibrant, Bangladesh Jewe-ller's Association (BAJUS) President Sayem Sobhan Anvir said recently.

At present, there are 25,000 gold shops across the country now, where some 4.4 million people are engaged.

"If the sector gets right direction from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as well as support from the banking sector, it may create job opportunities for at least 20 million people in the next five years," said Mr Anvir, also the Managing Director of Bashundhara Group.

There is no alternative to setting up a strong jewellery industry in the country to fend off gold smuggling, he pointed out.

Regarding gold refinery, the BAJUS president said: "Now, it is time to export gold instead of only importing it. For this, we've to set up jewellery factories."

"We've many workers who are working across the globe as jewellery workers. If such factories are set up in the country, they will come back and work in the country and it will be possible to earn foreign exchange by exporting the finished goods," he added.

The BAJUS president also stressed the need for setting up a gold bank and gold exchange in the country, says a press release.