Exporters Sub-Committee of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) at a meeting put emphasis on diversification of products to increase export and reduce trade deficit.
The meeting was held at CCCI office in World Trade Centre Building in city’s Agrabad area on Sunday.
The sub-committee leaders observed that optimum utilization of export prospects could not be ensured till date.
There is huge trade deficit with many countries, including China, India and Thailand due to export of around US$ 30 billion as against import of US$ 50 billion, they said.
The meeting underscored the need for diversification of products, value addition and inclusion of new items in export basket to increase export and reduce the trade deficit.
The sub-committee leaders said many countries of the world offer different facilities, including GSP, duty-free and quota-free access of Bangladeshi products.
But, businessmen of concerned sectors are yet to increase export availing of the facilities due to lack of information, said the sub-committee leaders urging the concerned government agencies to help such sectors to develop through providing information.
Huge quantity of hides, particularly those of sacrificial animals, is collected from greater Chittagong.
But, quality leather goods could not be produced for export from these hides since tannery industry could not be developed here locally, regretted the leaders seeking government cooperation in setting up tannery industry in this region.
Having Chittagong Export Processing Zone and Karnaphuli EPZ already saturated expansion of Ready Made Garment (RMG) industry also has become hardly possible, said the leaders demanding setting up of garment village for expansion the industry.
The leaders also called upon the government for developing more industrial areas with gas, power and infrastructural facilities to help set up more export oriented industries in Chittagong region.
Anjan Shekhar Dash, CCCI Director, presided over the meeting where CCCI Director Mahfuzul Haque Shah, Bangladesh Frozen Foods Exporters Association Senior Vice-Presidents Md Golam Mostafa, Raihan Shams, Secretary SM Morshed Zafar and CCCI officials were also present among others.
