The government will continue to provide cash incentives to exporters of leather goods and shoes for the next five years, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said, report agencies. The Prime Minister said this Wednesday while addressing the Bangladesh Leather Footwear and Leathergoods International Sourcing Show (BLLISS) at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC). “Equal opportunity and policy support will be ensured for all export sectors. We’ll remove any disparity or obstacle,” she said while highlighting her government’s initiative to develop the leather industry. The premier hoped that the country will definitely achieve the target of earning foreign currency of $ 5.0 billion by 2022 from export of leather goods, which is now $ 1.2 billion. “If we can export our entire raw leather products by making those finished ones, we will be able to easily earn US $ 5.0 billion foreign currency from this sector by 2022,” she added. PM said barely a decade back most of the country’s export earnings in this sector came mainly from exports of leather as raw materials. The Prime Minister said footwear and leather goods factories have been expanded during the last 10 years of the Awami League government for providing incentives and laying out business-friendly policies. The Ministry of Commerce and the Leathergoods and Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association of Bangladesh (LFMEAB) have jointly organised the event to attract more investment in the leather sector. President of LFMEAB Md. Saiful Islam, Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, Apex Group Chairman Syed Manzur Elahi, Convener of BLLISS-2019 and Managing Director of Apex Footwear Ltd Syed Nasim Manzur and chairman of parliamentary standing committee on commerce ministry Tofail Ahmed were also present. Over 300 exhibitors from nearly 20 countries, including India, China and Pakistan, will exhibit their products at the event. The government is playing an active role in assisting manufucturers of new products and creating new markets, said Hasina. “I can assure you that you’ll receive all necessary assistance from us,” she told the business community. Hasina assured the country’s businesspeople of extending all-out cooperation to them in producing diversified products and exporting those to new markets across the world. “Our government is always active to produce new products and explore new markets across the world for expanding the export basket. You’ll get all-out support from us in this connection. We can give you this assurance,” she said.
Source – Financial Express.
