The commerce ministry will form an inter-ministerial co-ordination committee in a couple of days to finalise the national handicrafts policy, said the commerce minister yesterday.
Faruk Khan spoke as the chief guest at a seminar, 'National Handicrafts Policy of Bangladesh' organised by Bangladesh Handicrafts Manufactures and Exporters Association (Banglacraft) at Ruposhi Bangla Hotel in Dhaka.
SU Haider, president of Banglacraft, presided over the seminar. AK Azad, president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry, and Jalal Ahmed, vice chairman of Export Promotion Bureau, were special guests.
“We will develop the sector not only to increase foreign currency earnings but also to explore and showcase our great history of traditions and heritage,” Khan said.
He said the handicrafts sector will be declared as a thrust sector and exports will be tax-free as early as possible to develop the sector that will help the rural poor.
Prof Momtaz Uddin Ahmed, who teaches economics at Dhaka University, has made the draft policy for Banglacraft. He said some financial incentives -- duty exemption on exports of handicrafts and reduction of corporate income tax can help the sector flourish.
“We will work together with Banglacraft to help the poor in Bangladesh,” said Azad.
The government should develop the Trading Corporation of Bangladesh and EPB to help the handicraft sector flourish further, he added.
The handicrafts policy will be finalised after discussing the relevant issues with all stakeholders, said Ahmed. He said the policy will be finalised following the exports policy.
SU Haider said the handicrafts sector will be a large exporting sector if the government develops the infrastructure of Bangladesh and give some incentives for the sector. He urged the government to declare the sector as a thrust sector.