Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi on Saturday urged the local entrepreneurs of plastic goods to seize the opportunities of grabbing the local and global market by ensuring quality of products.
“Plastic industry is a potential sector in Bangladesh. There is a huge market of plastic products across the globe. We’ll have to grab that market through ensuring quality of products, design and skills. The demand of plastic products is increasing day by day and we’ll have to seize this opportunity,” he said.
The commerce minister was addressing a function marking the inauguration of the new campus of the Bangladesh Institute of Plastic Engineering and Technology (BIPET) at the Pangaon Container Port Road in Dakshin Keraniganj, said a ministry press release.
Mentioning that the government of Sheikh Hasina has been extending all necessary support for the development of this plastic sector, Tipu said the businessmen would also have to come forward to this end and thus groom them to meet the global demand of plastic products.
“There is no alternative to gaining skills to survive in the competition. I believe that this institute (BIPET) will play an important role in building skilled manpower…….all concerned need to play their responsible role for turning plastic products as important export items like RMG,” he said.
Turning to the issue of LDC graduation, the commerce minister said the nation awaits enlightened path and it would have to move forward. “For this, we’ll have to attain qualifications and skills.”
Tipu said the government has already struck Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with Bhutan while such an agreement will be signed with Nepal within a short time.
“Discussions are underway with many more countries. Although it may seem to us not so profitable in the short-term, it will be profitable for us in the long-term. For this we’ll have to work and there is no alternative to ensuring product quality and skills to sustain in the competitive global market,” he added.
Commerce Secretary Dr Md Jafar Uddin spoke on the occasion as the special guest chaired by Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers and Exporters Association President M Jashim Uddin.
Association vice president Gias Uddin Ahmed, former presidents Shamim Ahmed, SM Kamal Uddin and Pran-RFL Group Chairman Ahsan Chowdhury, spoke among others, on the occasion.
