UNB, Dhaka : Laying emphasis on exploring newer export markets, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday said her government will continue to do whatever necessary for gearing up trade and commerce, industrialisation and attracting more investment to the country. “We’ve not assumed office to do business…our government rather will continue to work to ensure all sorts of facilities for businesspeople to spur trade and commerce, industrialisation and woo more investment. Our government has been working to this end,” she said. The Prime Minister was addressing a function after distributing the National Export Trophy for 2011-12 and 2012-13 to some 113 export organisations for the their significant role in overseas trade and thus earning foreign currency. The awards were distributed at a programme jointly organised by the Ministry of Commerce and the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) at Osmani Memorial Auditorium in the city. A total of 52 export organisations received gold medals, 37 silver medals while 24 bronze medals for the fiscal years 2011-12 and 2012-13. Sheikh Hasina said she always strongly advocates for having newer export markets across the globe as demands are increasing day by day in many countries throughout the world. “You’ll (exporters) have to find out which products have demand in which countries as well as diversify our export items.” Citing that one of the major weaknesses of the country’s export business is dependent on some limited items, Hasina said her government has been continuing efforts to add newer items into the export basket alongside continuing efforts to boost export of those items which are now contributing less. She emphasised raising the production and export of agro and agro-processed goods. Hasina said more labour-intensive industries should be set up that may help the youth force to keep themselves away from the path of terrorism and militancy. Citing massive development activities by her government during the 1996-2001 tenure, Hasina regretted that Awami League could not assume office for the successive term as a conspiracy was hatched and she had to brave tremendous pressure to sell country’s natural gas to other country. “So, I fell into their vengeance as I didn’t agree to sell out our resources without utilising it for our own cause.
