Weavers have proposed the government bring the weaving industry under the central bank’s Equity Entrepreneurship Fund (EEF). In its budgetary proposals, the Bangladesh Specialised Textile Mills and Power-loom Industries Association (BSTMPIAB) also urged the government to provide 20 per cent incentives on capital machinery import, keep investment ratio at 80:20 for loan and increase the cash support to 15 per cent from the existing five per cent. The written proposal was submitted to the National Board of Revenue (NBR) by the association recently ahead of the budget for the fiscal year 2016-17, it said in a statement. The association also proposed to keep special allocation for the development of weaving industry. They argued that if investment in the weaving industry increases, it will help lessen the import of woven fabric and home textile products, thus save foreign currency, while creating employment opportunity in the country. The BSTMPIAB also urged the government not force them to set up effluent treatment plants (ETP) at the small textile mills and power-looms in Siarajganj, Tangail, Narsingdi and other districts. They also called the government for keeping allocation in the upcoming budget to establish ETP in weaving hubs at government cost, since owners of small industries owner cannot afford to spend money on this.
