The speakers at a seminar called upon the government to increase the seaport capacities, modernise road connectivity as well as ensure power and energy to the industrial units in a bid to achieve the goal for earning $50 billion from exports by the year 2021. Pointing to the failure of the authorities for making proper utilisation of the existing facilities, Dr. Nazneen Ahmed, Senior Research Fellow of, Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies said the Chittagong port handled a total of 1,541,517 containers in 2013 while it has the capacity to double the task. The NCT which can expedite the container handling process has been in a dying state even after nine years of its installation, she informed. Bangladesh needs to enhance the production of garment items to explore the opportunity of earning $50 billion from exports by the mentioned year, said Srinivas B Reddy, Country Director of ILO, Bangladesh adding that the country should enhance the skills of its workers if it wants to raise production of garment items. They were speaking at a seminar titled “Capacity Building of Port, Customs, Power and Infrastructure to reach $50 billion in 2021” held at Hotel Radission in Chittagong on Friday. Arranged by the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), the seminar was held as part of the association’s three-day Bangladesh Apparel and Safety Expo Chittagong 2015. A H M Mustafa Kamal, Planning Minister and Shajahan Khan, Shipping Minister addressed the seminar as guests of honor with Nasiruddin Chowdhury, former Vice-President of BGMEA in the chair. Dr. Nazneen Ahmed, Senior Research Fellow of BIDS and Professor Sharif As-Saber of RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia presented two separate keynote papers at the seminar. Nojibur Rahman, Chairman of the National Board of Revenue (NBR), Abdul Matlub Ahmed, President of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) and Srinavas B Reddy, ILO Country Director attended the programme as discussants. In his paper, Sharif As-Saber said a number of challenges are laying ahead of Bangladesh garment sector for earning $50 billion by the year 2021. “Though there are number of challenges, it is possible to achieve the target,” said As-Saber, who is assigned for preparing a roadmap for $50 billion earning. Saber said the government as well as the stakeholders should work from their respective positions to achieve the goal. Addressing the event, Matlub Ahmed called upon the government to allow businessmen to import diesel for their respective industrial units. Prices of diesel have gone down by almost 50 percent in the international market, he said adding that the consumers here are yet to enjoy the benefits from price of lower diesel in the global market. “We need institutions, infrastructure, skilled work forces and government support to reach the goal”, A H M Mustafa Kamal said adding the assimilation of the components will ensure brighter prospects of the readymade garment sector as well as for the country.
