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Published on January 1, 2015
She expressed her firm conviction that Bangladesh would be able to make position as a middle-income country in the world much before 2021 if its present export growth rate continues.
The Prime Minister said this while inaugurating 20th Dhaka International Trade Fair-2015 (DITF-2015) at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar in the city yesterday.
Sheikh Hasina reiterated her government's commitment to extend all out supports to increase the exports volume of readymade garments (RMG) to US$ 50 billion by 2021 saying the goal, though looking ambitious, is possible to achieve together and government support.
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Commerce Ministry Tajul Islam Chowdhury, senior secretary of the commerce ministry Hedayet ullah Al Mamun, FBCCI president Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed, among others, spoke on the inaugural programme of the month-long mega fair being organized by Export Promotion Bureau.
Sheikh Hasina said, "You have witnessed the horrible anarchy before 2013 election. Only two days ago they killed a teacher and hurled petrol bomb on another teacher and her children, injuring them critically."
"So, I will request the business community to join your hands against such violence and anarchy. People don't like violence, they want peace and development," she said adding her government is striving for fulfillment of the expectation of the people.
She said at present international trade is more challenging than before. "World Trade Organization (WTO) has undertaken various programmes for expansion of global trade, which have opened up new opportunities for us as well as challenges," she said.
The business community and the government have to adopt new strategies for promotion of trade and explore new markets through overcoming the challenges, she said adding Bangladesh have to earn capacity to face tough business completion during tax-fee regime.
The Prime Minister said her government is trying its best to develop country's infrastructure to facilitate trade and commerce. She said the work for construction of four-lane Dhaka-Chittagong Highway will be completed by June next, which would be turned into six-lane later.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina urged the real business persons to remain aware and identify those 'black-sheeps' of the industries saying those persons have avarice to be rich overnight.
Out of that greediness, Sheikh Hasina said, those persons take loan from bank in the name of establishing business and later loot those money in connivance with an unscrupulous section of bank officials and employees.
"Though such incident is very few in numbers, but one or two incidents cast negative impacts on overall banking system," she said adding because of those persons all bankers face trouble and it create difficulties for real industrial entrepreneurs to get bank loan.
Sheikh Hasina said Bangladesh Bank is taking all-out measures to prevent this fraudulent. "New laws are being enacted and steps are being taken for stern action against the evil practice," she added.
The Prime Minister reiterated her government's steadfast stand that business persons will only do business. "Responsibility of the government is to create congenial atmosphere," she said.
Laying importance on political stability for economic prosperity, the Prime Minister said there are some people in the country who never liked any good news of the people.
"A political party dream of going to power in a shortcut way," she said adding, "They are conspiring to foil country's stability and making Bangladesh as a land of militancy and terrorism to make it a failed state."
"January 5, 2014 election was a catalyst in protecting country's democratic process and continuing the pace of development. Without that election, country's development would have faced a serious blow," she said.
The Prime Minister praised regular arrangement of DITF, saying the fair brings together entrepreneurs, producers, exporters and importers under a same umbrella and thus is playing role in creating local and international market of domestic products.
She said Bangladesh now exports around 729 goods to 192 countries. In 2005-2006 the export volume was US$ 10.12 billion which rose to US$ 30.19 billion now.
Over the last five years, she said, average export growth rate of Bangladesh was 14.90 percent which was exceptional in the region and comparing to other competitors.
-Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS)
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