The government has given utmost priority on few items in the Seventh Five-Year Plan aiming to attain the goal of $60 billion export by 2021 and plastic is one of those, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed yesterday said.
The Commerce Minister also said that the government is offering 10 per cent cash incentive on the export of plastic products and will take all necessary steps to continue the progress of country's plastic industry.
The Commerce Minister came up with the assurance while addressing the inaugural session of the 13th Bangladesh International Plastic packaging and Printing Industrial Fair-2018, organised by Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers' and Exporters' Association (BPGMEA) at the city's Bangabandhu International conference Centre.
Referring to Bangladesh's emergence as the second largest RMG exporting nation, Tofail expressed willingness to pull up country's plastic industry ahead.
A total of 680 business entities of 360 companies from 16 countries, including China, India, Taiwan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, UAE, Singapore, Italy and the UK, are participating in the fair.
Bengal Polymer Wares Ltd, a concern of the Bengal Group of Industries, is the largest plastic processing industry in Bangladesh.
Talking to The Independent, Bengal Polymer Wares’s area sales manager Al-Rashed said Bengal introduced hygiene plastic pallets in Bangladesh, which are used to package industrial raw materials and move goods from one place to another.
Al-Rashid added that earlier, plastic pallets used to be imported from abroad. But now, Bengal manufactures all the products locally for two years. Asked about the use of plastic pallets, he said plastic pallets are ideal for highly regulated, hygiene-sensitive industries like pharmaceuticals and manufacturing. Hygiene plastic pallets are manufactured entirely by Bengal Polymer.
It can be used to hold raw materials of different industrial products, for example, garments, medicines and beverages, he explained. When asked about the price range of the hygiene plastic pallets, Al-Rashed said the prices ranged from Tk. 3,000 to Tk. 9,000.