Govt sets target to improve industrial productivity

The government targets to improve productivity in all industrial sectors to 5.6 per cent from the existing 3.8 per cent within the next 10 years, said Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun yesterday.

The government is formulating a 10-year national productivity masterplan in collaboration with Japan-based Asian Productivity Organisation (APO) and Bangladesh National Productivity Organisation, according to a statement from the industries ministry.

For this, the government is taking expert opinions to know the short-, medium- and long-term demands in different sectors, the minister said in a virtual meeting organised by the APO on the occasion of its 60th anniversary.

The minister said the government has been working mainly to improve the productivity in areas like industries, agriculture and services sectors.

The member countries of APO were able to carry out the productivity activities even during the pandemic thanks to the APO's continued operations such as online discussions, trainings, meetings and workshops in such a critical time, he said.

Humayun said he is hopeful that the continued support of the APO will ensure sustainable productivity among the member countries in the Asia and the Pacific region.

AKP Mochtan, secretary general of APO; Atsushi Ueno, director of APO for Japan, and Le Xuan Dinh, deputy minister for science and technology of Vietnam, also spoke.

Ida Fauzihay, human resources minister of Indonesia; Kitta Settha Pandita Cham Prasidh, senior minister for science, technology and innovation ministry of Cambodia, and Muhammad Hammad Azhar, central minister for industries and productivity division of Pakistan, were also present.