They said at a workshop in Dhaka yesterday that due to lack of proper processing at production level, exports of some products like leather and leather goods, handloom products, rubber, handicrafts, battle leaf and mud tally are yet to have a facelift in the global market despite a huge demand for these items.

The Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) organised the workshop at its office under the One District One Product programme.

In a bid to diversify the country's export basket, which is now dominated by the ready made garment (RMG) sector, the state-run export promotional agency has initiated the programme and already asked the chiefs of district administration (deputy commissioners) for proposing a product from each district for promotion purpose.

Addressing the workshop, Alauddin Ahmed, president of the Bangladesh Silk Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BSMEA), pointed to the fact that 2.79 lakh pieces silk products and 34.55 lakh pieces ethnic products remain surplus every year, which are to be exported.

He said, "If the government provides cash incentives or single digit loan facilities for the sector, it can earn huge foreign exchange."

Md. Shahab Ullah, vice chairman of EPB, stressed the need for increasing production of the products having export potentials.

He, however, insisted on product standardisation to cope with the changed global market scenario.

Golam Mohammad Zahirul Alam, deputy secretary and general manger of Rubber Division of the Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corporation (BFIDC) advocated a control on frequent import of synthetic rubber so that the local rubber industry can survive.

Rubber is being used as supplementary materials for as many as 1.20 lakh products all over the world, he informed the workshop, seeking a separate policy for flourishing the sector, which would also help it to contribute more to the national exchequer.

According to exporters, although Bangladesh produces 60 thousands tonnes of battle leaf every year against its local demand for only 3000 tonnes, the item cannot hit the global market due to lack of knowledge about the global standard.

They sought Bangladesh Biman's cargo facilities to ease the export process of battle leaf.

The exporters of handicrafts and handloom products demanded loans at lower interest rate for the sector.

EPB Director General Faridul Hasan assured the stakeholders of sending all of their demands voiced at the workshop to the ministries concerned for their perusal in the interest of reducing dependency on a small list of exportable products.

The EPB is working as a coordinator between government and stockholders, he said, hoping that the ministries concerned will give more support to the producers of the potential exportable items.

The main objective of the EPB's One District One Product programme is to find ways how the government could work with the entrepreneurs in the districts to give each product a global face in terms of quality and design.

According to the EPB list, Panchagarh has been selected for producing organic tea, Khulna for poultry feed and crab, Jamalpur stitch-based handicrafts, Rangpur Shotoronji, Bandarban rubber, Tangail sari, Bogra potato, Bagerhat coconut, Sirajganj handloom fabrics, Dinajpur katarivogh rice, Rajshahi silk product, Barisal fish, Patuakhali hilsa, Munshiganj potato and Mymensing vegetables.