All plastic factories need to set up effluent treatment plants (ETPs) to curb pollution emitted by them, industries minister Amir Hossain Amu said yesterday. The minister also said that the government will soon set up a dedicated industrial zone, spreading over 50 acres, at Sirjdikhan in Munshiganj district to promote an environment-friendly plastic industry. He was speaking as the chief guest during the inaugural session of the four-day-long plastic summit at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in the capital. The Bangladesh Plastic Goods Manufacturers’ and Exporters’ Association (BPGMEA) and Chan Chao International Co, Ltd of Taiwan jointly organised the 11th International Plastic Fair-2016. Amu said the AL-led government does not support the kind of industrialisation that may render harm to the environment. Setting up of ETPs is essential to promote environment-friendly industrialisation, he added. The minister said the plastic industry has great potential to diversify its products and add new ranges to its repertoire. He also said the dedicated industrial zone will give this growing industry—which would absorb 18,000 workers, including 1,800 women—the much needed impetus. The minister also said 360 plastic factories would be commissioned in the proposed Tk. 133-crore project. “If it gets policy support, it’s possible to increase the export of plastic goods to USD 10 billion by 2021,” he said. Currently, Bangladesh exports plastic products to different countries, including the US, Canada, China, India, Nepal and the European Union. Speaking on the occasion, Abdul Matlub Ahmad, president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FBCCI), said plastic products are renewable and have better longevity. He also said that the Jute Packaging Act sometimes provides a wrong impression about plastic packaging. “There are some products for which you cannot use jute packaging. However, the Jute Packaging Act is misleading in some cases,” he added. He said that the government needs to enact a separate Plastic Packaging Act. BPGMEA president Jasim Uddin said more than 300 participants from 13 countries, including Bangladesh, are taking part in the international plastic fair. The fair will create opportunities for technology transfer for local industries of Bangladesh, he added. He expressed hope that the fair would broaden the opportunities for local industrialists to observe foreign quality products and exchange ideas. Asia Plastic Forum secretary general Callum Chen, among others, spoke on the occasion.
