Govt urged to set up 'furniture village'

Visitors at the 6-day furniture show that began at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka yesterday.Photo: STAR

The government should establish a 'furniture village' for furniture makers and give policy support to the industry to boost exports, manufacturers said yesterday.
The furniture manufacturers were speaking at the inauguration of the 5th version of National Furniture Fair 2007 at Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka.
Industries Adviser Geeteara Safiya Choudhury formally inaugurated the 6-day fair participated by 45 furniture manufacturers of the country through 108 stalls..
"In many countries, there are courses on furniture manufacturing in vocational colleges but we have none. If we gain expertise, the sector will develop further," Abul Hossain, chief adviser of Bangladesh Furniture Factory Owners' Association (BFFOA), told the inaugural function.
The fair will remain open between 9am to 10pm everyday without any entry or car-parking fee. The daily Samakal, The Daily Star and television station Channel i and Radio Today are media partners of the fair.
"In a world of free market economy, the furniture manufacturers have to develop the design and quality of products to survive in the competitive market," the industries adviser said.
She also pledged to provide proper government support for the sector.
Although the sector has a huge potential, the export earning through furniture is not very significant. In the fiscal year 2006-07, the sector earned $ 2.22 million while in the FY 2005-06 such earning was $ 1.3 million, Faridul Hasan, director general of the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), said.
On the industry insiders' demand for expert trainers, he said, " We are ready to hire consultants for developing the sector.”
BFFOA President KM Akteruzzaman informed the gathering that more than two million people, most of whom don't have proper academic educational background, work with the sector.
" The sector will be able to employ one crore people if we get proper support," he added.