BSS, Dhaka :
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed on Thursday said country’s trade and commerce should be kept out of all political programmes and there should be a national consensus in this regard.
He said businessmen are capable of creating confidence and they are able to keep the wheels of the country’s economy running at a time when many giant economies suffered slowdown in the face of the global financial recession.
He cited the example of the Readymade Garment (RMG) industry that earned kudos for Bangladesh being the world’s second largest garment exporter.
Tofail was inaugurating the four-day ‘Garment Accessories and Packaging (GAP) Expo-2014 at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in the city.
Bangladesh Garment Accessories and Packaging Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGAPMEA), Zakaria Trade and Fair International and AKS Trade and Exhibitions jointly arranged the expo.
BGAPMEA President Refaz Alam Chowdhury presided over the function while president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) M Atiqul Islam and acting president of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) M Hatem spoke as special guests.
Tofail favoured providing adequate support from all section to the businessmen to give a big boost to the country’s economic growth.
He described the present government as business-friendly and said it will provide all out necessary support to grow the country’s trade further.
Referring to country’s earning of US$4.10b from export of garment accessories and packaging last financial year, the commerce minister hoped that the earning from the sector will hit 12 billion US dollars by 2018.
As many as 500 exhibitors from 25 countries are displaying 30 to 35 items of accessories, packaging items, textiles and garment technology, machinery and parts. The countries include India, China, Pakistan, Taiwan, Australia, Germany and UAE.
Bangladesh, being the second largest garment exporter after China, earned 17 billion US dollars from garment export in fiscal 2012-13. The country has around 4,000 garment factories.
The country now makes 30-35 packaging and accessory items including labels, zippers, tags, thread, ribbon, buttons and rivets to meet the garments sector’s requirement, according to the BGAPMEA.
