Industries minister eyes more investments in diversified sectors

Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun on Monday urged the business community to come up with more investments to various potential sectors.

He came up with the view when President of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) Osama Taseer and members of the Board of Directors called on him at his office in the capital.

The minister said the government is providing gas connections to the industries to facilitate businesses and protecting the business community is its main priority.

Mr Humayun also lauded the small and medium entrepreneurs (SME) contribution to development and creating employment opportunities.

He stressed on skill development of SMEs, product diversification, protection for SMEs and single digit interest rate for SMEs.

The industries minister assured the tannery sector all possible cooperation for its development.

“For tannery industry Central Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) will be set up but private sector also can set up CETP by themselves”, he said.

DCCI President Osama Taseer suggested Back to Back letter of credit for those industries which are getting priority.

 He said in FY17-18 Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Bangladesh increased by 5.12 per cent and reached to $2.58 billion although worldwide investment reduced by 23 per cent in the same fiscal.

The DCCI chief also proposed to form "FDI Development Task Force" in order to attract FDI especially in Agro-processing, Pharmaceuticals, Leather, Light Engineering, Jute & Jute Goods sector.

In 2018 credit flow to SME sector decreases to 1.42 per cent than the previous year.

Mr Taseer urged for easy access of SME financing at a single digit interest rate to cope up with international market competitiveness.

Osama Taseer also sought cooperation from the Industries Ministry to make DCCI a Halal Certification Institute.

DCCI Senior Vice President Waqar Ahmad Choudhury, Vice President Imran Ahmed, Directors Andaleeb Hasan, Ashraf Ahmed, Alhaj Deen Mohammed, Enamul Haque Patwary, Hossain A Sikder, Md. Rashedul Karim Munna, Nuher L. Khan and S.M. Zillur Rahman also spoke on the occasion.