Photo: Collected
Praising the contribution of the textile industry to the national economy, employment and foreign exchange earnings, President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir has called for ensuring realistic, coordinated policy support to resolve the sector’s various problems.
The president made the call when a 22-member delegation led by Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) President Showkat Aziz Russell went to call on him at Bangabhaban this morning.
The president’s Press Secretary Md Sarwar Alam gave this information to BSS.
The president said the role of the textile sector in the country’s economic development and employment generation is very important. To take this sector forward, realistic, coordinated policy support needs to be ensured for Bangladesh’s industrial enterprises too, as in competitor countries.
At the same time, he assured the business leaders of necessary assistance and advised them to raise the matter with due importance before the government’s policymaking circles.
He said that, for various reasons including political instability, we have not been able to take the economy to the desired goal even after 55 years of independence. However, now that a democratic government has taken charge, an opportunity has been created to rebuild the sectors of the economy.
The president called on the country’s business leaders to play an effective role by making use of this opportunity.
He also mentioned that developing countries like Bangladesh are facing greater losses because of the ongoing war in the Middle East.
The president said the energy crisis is the biggest problem at present. In the past, no notable initiative was taken to explore and extract the country’s own gas and energy and to ensure long-term energy security.
However, he said the present government’s sincere efforts to resolve the energy crisis are continuing.
During the call, BTMA President Showkat Aziz Russell highlighted the contribution of the textile industry to the country’s economy.
He recalled the various steps taken for the growth and development of the textile sector during the times of martyred President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia, and apprised the president of the sector’s current problems and challenges.
At that time, the leaders of the delegation stressed keeping in place the National Board of Revenue’s decision on withdrawing the bond facility on the import of cotton yarn of 10 to 30 count and allowing the import of yarn through bank guarantee, to protect local textile mills.
Secretaries to the president and senior officials were present during the call.
