The Ministry of Commerce has prepared a draft of new export policy which includes a plan to set up international standard testing centres in Bangladesh to ensure export of quality goods. The draft of the 2015-18 policy is likely to be placed before the cabinet committee on economic affairs this week, according to officials. They said it further included tourism, architecture, engineering and consultancy services as special development service sectors to provide exclusive assistance under special development service programme. The policy considers information technology, pharmaceuticals, light-engineering, agro-products, herbal and ship-building as potential and promising sectors in Bangladesh. Special importance has been given to the IT-based service export and ensuring more use of e-commerce in the export process. Formation of a committee is promised to prepare a road-map for ensuring quality in exporting plants and plantation products. Given the denial of testing results of Bangladesh Standards and Testing Institution by many countries including the European Union and neighbouring India, it emphasises the need to set up accredited testing laboratories both by public and private sector initiative. “We plan to develop our testing laboratories to an international standard so the exporters do not face any question about quality of their goods,” Senior Commerce Secretary Hedayetullah Al Mamoon told the Dhaka Tribune. “Our products including agro and RMG were barred from entering on several occasions by the EU, US and India citing our labs had no international accreditation. Hope, such incidents will not happen again after the centres are established.” The draft policy also recommends that the export-oriented industries should be given priority in getting power, gas and other utility services. It gives generous importance to raising productivity, quality improvement of goods, and compliance in line with buyers’ requirements. It also proposes duty-free import of compliance-related and fire-extinguishing equipment. The draft policy suggests taking steps for infrastructure development of ports, easing delivery of goods from the ports, and reducing cost of doing business by introducing one-stop service to help raise competitiveness of exporters. The tenure of the 2012-15 export policy already expired. The latest data which submitted to cabinet committee, reads despite unfavourable economic situation and global pressure on compliance issues, Bangladesh exports grew by 5.99%, 11.22% and 11.69% in last three fiscal years – 2011-12, 2012-13 and 2013-14 respectively. According to the draft policy, the government will simplify offloading system in Chittagong and Mongla sea ports and develop communication system. The policy reads: “Friendly export policy and vigorous endeavour from both public and private sectors assisted achieve the success in export.”
