The government has undertaken widespread reforms towards greening of the existing and future industries in Bangladesh, including the leather and readymade garment industry, along with prioritising a low-carbon economy, Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu said.“Our government has set up 100 eco-friendly special economic zones with government sponsored green industrial standards for ETP (effluent treatment plant) and water treatment plants,” he said.We are also pursuing a green financing and green banking policy to finance low-carbon and resource-efficient small and medium enterprises and the supply value chains of our RMG industry.”Amu spoke while addressing the “Fifth Green Industry Conference for Sustainable Development” in Bangkok under UNIDO-UNESCAP joint collaboration. He said Bangladesh’s “Green industry and sustainable development philosophy” is inspired by the “Golden Bengal” vision of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Vision 2021 of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.The minister also spoke at the ministerial panel discussion on “Regional perspectives on green industry policy”, the Bangladeshi embassy in Bangkok said in a press release. Industries ministers from 15 countries of Asia and the Pacific, including Myanmar, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Albania, Armenia, Mongolia and Thailand, took part in the event.Later in the afternoon, Amu held a bilateral meeting with Li Yong, director general of the UNIDO, at the UNESCAP secretariat. The minister thanked the UNIDO for its sustained partnership with Bangladesh for the last two decades.Amu also invited new technical collaboration projects with the UNIDO especially for upgradation of the national metrology laboratory, effective solid and liquid waste management and central ETP for the leather and leather goods industry and development of a green industry policy for Bangladesh.Yong praised Hasina for achieving a 7.8 percent growth rate prioritising low-carbon growth and assured Bangladesh the UNIDOs’ continued support specially in embarking on new projects, including upgradation of standards, competitiveness, green industry and industry 4.0 policies.SaidaMunaTasneem, Bangladesh ambassador to Thailand and permanent representative to the UNESCAP, and AM Mansurul Alam, additional secretary of the ministry of environment, were also present.
