Two more leather parks if AL reelected: Hasina
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the government would set up two more leather industrial parks in Chattogram and Rajshahi for unlocking the huge potential of the country's leather sector if her party gets reelected in the next election.
“I want to establish two more leather industrial parks alongside tanneries in Rajshahi and Chattogram...we have already asked (the authorities concerned) to find out suitable places for establishing such parks,” she said.
The prime minister was addressing the inaugural ceremony of the Bangladesh Leatherfootwear & Leathergoods International Sourcing Show 2018 in Dhaka. The commerce ministry and the Leathergoods and Footwear Manufacturers & Exporters Association of Bangladesh (LFMEAB) jointly arranged the three-day show at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre.
The country's leading manufacturers and exporters are showcasing their leather footwear, leather goods and accessories at the second edition of the exhibition.
Mentioning that the government has already set up a modern leather industrial estate in Savar, the prime minister said Bangladesh would have to tap its immense potential in the leather sector. Hasina said the Awami League government does not go to do business, but it creates business-friendly environment and scopes for businesspeople.
She urged the private sector to come forward in further imparting training to workers to create a skilled and well-trained labour force which was needed to expand the business.
She said Bangladesh's youth population was huge. “We have the scope to utilise the force to turn it into skilled manpower,” she added.
Terming the young generation very talented, the prime minister said they could make themselves competent in any sector if they get a little scope.
“The workable youth force is our big asset. We are taking measures to impart training to our workable young generation,” said Hasina.
She also urged the leather businesspeople to give training to butchers on modern slaughtering system so that they could keep rawhides undamaged and process those properly.
The prime minister said her government was working with a plan to create a business environment by finding out new export markets and expanding the local market by raising the purchasing capacity of the country's people through improvement of their socioeconomic status.
She said now the per capita income had increased to a large extent and economic growth has risen to 7.86 percent.
Alongside expansion of the domestic market, the government has been able to create connectivity with the neigbouring countries by maintaining good relations with them, she said.
“So, there's a scope (for Bangladeshi products) to enter the huge markets of the neighbouring countries,” Hasina said.
She said Bangladesh needs to expand its export basket. To this end, there should be a special budget alongside incentives, she added.
The prime minister said Bangladesh now gives importance to economic diplomacy and all ambassadors and high commissioners stationed in different foreign countries have been asked to search for new markets, identify the demand of the markets and attract investment to Bangladesh.
Later, the prime minister opened the exhibition and visited its pavilions.
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, Shubhashish Bose, senior secretary to the commerce ministry, and Md Shafiul Islam, president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), spoke on the occasion, while the LFMEAB President Md Saiful Islam delivered the welcome speech.
An audio-visual presentation was screened focusing on Bangladesh's leather and footwear industry.
The first edition of the BLLISS was held in 2017 for connecting international buyers and brands with local manufacturers and exporters.
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