BSS, Rajshahi :
Speakers at a view-sharing meeting said requisite infrastructural development has become an urgent need for successful promotion of trade and business in the region.
They added that communication development should be elevated and agro-based industries needs to be built. There is also need of uplifting Mongla Port to take forward the region’s industrial sector for improving socio-economic condition.
They were addressing the “Trade Facilitation Consultation” held at the conference hall of Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) on Wednesday. Bangladesh Trade Policy Support Programme of the Ministry of Commerce organized the meeting targeting the region’s trade and business sector.
Director General of Commerce Ministry Amitabh Chakravarty and Commissioner of Rajshahi division Helaluddin Ahmed addressed the discussion as chief and special guests respectively with Abu Bakker Ali, President of RCCI, in the chair.
Programme Director Fazlul Haque, Director of Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute Dr Golam Mostofa and Deputy Commissioner-in-Charge of Rajshahi Dr Dewan Shahriar Firoj also spoke.
The speakers said creation of employment opportunities for the region’s people and enhancing their working competence, income potentialities improvement and attainment of pro-poor growth is very vital.
To this end, a programme has been adopted as a vital means of providing European Union Strategy consisting Bangladesh with World Trade Organization and successful implementation of the programme has become indispensable.
Among others, RCCI Directors Harunur Rashid, Faisal Kabir Chowdhury, Rabiul Alam Babu, Sadrul Islam and Kabirur Rahman Khan took part in the open discussion.
They said prospect of agro-processing industries is bright in Rajshahi region as it produces surplus crops like food-grains, fruits and vegetables.
The region has enormous potential for establishing agro-processing enterprises since the region has been producing varieties of fruits and vegetables. Bangabandhu Multipurpose Jamuna Bridge contributes a lot in improving communication in the northern region, creating wider scopes for marketing cereals, fruits, vegetables and livestock and over the years.
Establishment of agro-processing industries would encourage farmers to grow more crops. The present government earlier announced to establish special economic zone in the region but no step is yet to take in this respect, said RCCI President Abu Bakker Ali.
He said the region is now fulfilling 52 percent of the country’s total foods demand along with supplying 76 percent raw-materials to the country’s agro-based industries. “Unfortunately, big industrial units are yet to establish here,” he said.
The business leader urged the authorities concerned to upgrade Rajshahi Airport, making it an outlet for directly exporting the processed agri-products, fresh vegetables and fruits to different Middle Eastern and European countries.
