Hasina asks businesses to find new markets

PrimeMinister Sheikh Hasina yesterday urged Bangladeshi businessmen toexplore new markets, produce new products and maintain their quality tograb export opportunities in the competitive world market.“You(businessmen) look for new countries, new markets and assess the demandsin those markets. If we can do that we’ll be able to boost ourbusiness. We also need to main the quality of our products, make thoseattractive and brand those. All these things are very much important,”she said.The prime minister was inaugurating the month-long DhakaInternational Trade Fair (DITF) at Bangabandhu International ConferenceCentre (BICC) in Dhaka.Hasina assured the businessmen of providingher government’s all-out support to expand the export basket ofBangladeshi products. “We’ve already extended our all-out co-operationand will do the same in the future,” she said.She mentioned that Bangladesh is currently exporting 750 items to 199 countries across the globe.“But, I think, we’ve to march forward and expand and improve our export basket.”Hasinasaid the businessmen also must look at the domestic market to expandtheir business. “You’ve to work to increase the purchasing capacity oflocal people ... this is essential to increase the purchasing capacityif you want to market your products,” she said.The PM mentioned thatthe government has given importance to the economic development of thecountry’s rural areas. “We’ve taken steps to develop the livelihood ofthe rural people so that they could purchase your products.”DescribingBangladesh as an agriculture-dependent country, she said it is naturalfor a country to go for industrialisation if it wants to achieveprosperity. “It’s not possible to expedite economic development withoutindustrialisation. But, agriculture sector must not be neglected becauseagriculture is very much important ... our food security is ensured byagriculture sector.”The prime minister said, “We have to boost ourexport and take a planned policy keeping all these things in mind. Andthe government has taken 5th Five Year Plan alongside a 10-year longvision with that view in mind.”Referring to setting up of 100special economic zones in the country to boost export andindustrialisation, Hasina said steps have been taken to encourageforeign investment.She said some 17 missions, including 12 newembassies in 12 countries, have been opened during the current tenure ofher government aimed at expanding trade and commerce. The PMmentioned that directive has been given to the ambassadors and highcommissioners of Bangladesh serving in different countries to be moreactive in attracting foreign investors and businessmen. Describingpharmaceutical industry as a high technology industry, the primeminister said Bangladesh is currently exporting pharmaceutical productsto over 100 countries, including the USA, the UK, the European Union andAustralia, after meeting the country’s 98% demand.She mentionedthat work has started to establish pharmaceutical raw materialproduction park at Munshiganj aiming to further improve the sector.Hasinaannounced pharmaceuticals and its raw materials as the ‘Products of theYear for 2018’ to take the industry to a dignified position, andexpressed her firm optimism that Bangladesh will be able to achieve arespectful status very soon in this sector.The prime minister alsourged all concerned to focus more on the ICT and leather sectors andsaid these sectors has huge potential in the country and abroad.