35 to get CIP cards today for industrial excellence

The government will recognise 35 businesspeople as commercially important persons today for their outstanding performance in the industrial sector.
Industries Minister Dilip Barua will award the CIP status certificates at a function at Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka, ministry officials said.
State Minister for Industries Omar Faruk Chowdhury, Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry President Kazi Akramuddin Ahamed and Additional Industries Secretary M Farhad Uddin will also attend the function.
The businesspeople will get the status under the CIP industry category due to their contribution to the economy by means of establishing industries, producing goods, generating employments and increasing the national income.
The CIP recipients will enjoy some privileges. They will get entry to the secretariat without a special pass, and will be invited to national programmes and functions of municipal corporations.
They will get priority in Biman ticket booking for overseas travel, and reservation of seats in government transports. They will also enjoy special status at domestic airports.
The will be entitled to 'letters of introduction' from the foreign ministry that will help them get visa easily in case of foreign trips.
The CIP cardholders, their spouse and children will also get priority in getting cabins for treatment in public hospitals.
Industries ministry officials said the 35 CIPs were selected in six categories -- ex-officio, large-scale industries, medium-scale industries, small-scale industries, micro-scale industries and services sector industries.
Eight will get the status in ex-officio category, while 13 in the large-scale, six in the medium-scale, three in the small-scale, two in the micro-scale and three in the services sector categories.
Two new categories have been introduced this year -- micro-scale industries and services sector industries.
Last year, 42 businesspeople were awarded the CIP (industry) status in four categories.