PM urges businesses to tap marine resources
BSS
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday urged the business community to tap the opportunities provided by the government for promotion of their business and industries, reports BSS.
We dont do businesses of our own, rather we promote businesses for ensuring further economic development, she said urging the business leaders to tap the growing domestic market as well as international one.
The prime minister said this when a delegation of the newly elected office bearers of the Federation of the Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) called on her at her office here.
FBCCI president Abdul Matlub Ahmad led the delegation while other directors and business leaders were present. Briefing reporters after the meeting, PMs Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim said the prime minister lamented that the business community of Bangladesh has failed to avail many support provided by the government to exploit potential markets at home and abroad.
She said Bangladesh showed its excellence in the RMG sector. But the businesses should go for tapping the vast marine resources in the Bay of Bengal, especially for deep sea fishing as Bangladesh now has sovereignty on huge maritime areas.
She said apart from making stride to boosting exports the businessmen should go for tapping the growing domestic market as the size of domestic market is enlarging with enhancement of the purchasing capacity of the common people.
Referring to her governments steps for reducing the bank rate into a certain limit to flourish industrialisation and businesses, the prime minister said her government would try to bring the rate into single digit.
She said many Muslim countries procure halal meat from other countries. But Bangladeshi businesses have failed to exploit the potential market.
Sheikh Hasina said that the proposed Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN) route and Bangladesh, China, India and Myanmar (BCIM) corridor would establish regional connectivity helping flourish businesses in the region.
The prime minister urged the FBCCI leaders to encourage the businessmen on paying taxes saying their taxes in a sense help the government to give incentives to the businessmen. She urged the big businesses to help small businesses.
Sheikh Hasina said the government has taken steps for setting up of an Economic Zone in every district to encourage local investment.
About the governments various steps in the power and energy sector, Sheikh Hasina said her government has taken steps to dig new gas well with setting up transmission lines to reach the gas to industries.
Referring to the withdrawal of import duty on LPG, she said her government did not receive so much response from the businessmen in this regard. She suggested the local entrepreneurs to go for manufacturing cylinders for marketing of the LPG gas.
Pointing towards the ongoing works of Dhaka-Chittagong, Dhaka-Mymensingh, Dhaka-Sylhet four-lane project alongside rail line from Chittagong to to Coxs Bazar, she said that such connectivity would flourish industrialisation.
Putting emphasis on optimum utilisation of the leather, she said that her government is looking for suitable place for setting up slaughterhouses in Dhaka.
Speaking on the occasion, FBCCI President Abdul Matlub Ahmed said that the countrys businessmen would work hand in hand with the government to materialize its Vision 2021.
He also lauded various initiatives and successes of the government in promoting economic development.
PMs Political Affairs Adviser HT Imam, Economic Affairs Adviser Moshiur Rahman, Principal Secretary Abul Kalam Azad, were present, among others.
