The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Industries Minister Dilip Barua on Monday said the government wants to simplify the one-stop service in the industrial sector to encourage investment by foreign entrepreneurs and expatriate Bangladeshis.

"The one-stop service facility will be made effective by simplifying legal and procedural formalities to encourage investment by foreign entrepreneurs and expatriate Bangladeshis," he said at the 'national forum on City Cluster Economic Development in South Asian Countries'.

Asian Development Bank organized the programme in cooperation with the Centre for Urban Studies (CUS) and Strategic Planning and Management Services (SPMS), Australia, at a city hotel with CUS chairman Prof Nazrul Islam in the chair.

SPMS international project coordinator Prof Brian Roberts, CUS secretary Prof Nurul Islam Nazem, President of Bangladesh Economic Association Dr Qazi Kholiquzzaman Ahmed and ADB representative Dr Kay Cheo, among others, attended the programme.

Speaking as chief guest, the Industries Minister said the investment policy would be geared to implement a strategy that would attract both domestic and foreign investment.

Emphasizing the cluster industrial zone, he said the government is going to set up Special Economic Zone in a coordinated way to ensure balanced economic activities and industrialisation throughout the country.

"We have allotted lands as well as all others facilities to set up plastic industries in Keraniganj while pharmaceuticals at Gajaria in Munshiganj."

Dilip Barua said the government would give priority to the agro-based and labour intensive industries while highest priority would be given to information technology (IT) and knowledge-based industrial sector.

He said the development of shipbuilding and IT industries, strengthening of RMG and textile sectors and expansion of food processing, plastic, automobile, sub-contracting, ceramic, pharmaceuticals, leather, chemical products, toy, jewelry and furniture industries would be given all out support for expanding markets at home and abroad.

Measures will be put in place, he assured, to protect indigenous industries and assistance will be provided for expansion of small, medium and cottage industries.

The Industries Minister said the government would ensure expansion of the tourism sector, increased labor export and investment of remittance received from expatriate Bangladeshis in productive sectors.

Rapid expansion of stock market, maintenance of law and order, and eliminating corruption are the key areas where the government would take effective measures, he added.

CUS chairman Prof Nazrul Islam urged the government and the stakeholders to pursue an environmental policy for the three cities-Dhaka, Chittagong and Khulna-as 50 percent of total population of the country reside in these cities in order to work in urban industries or related organisations.

He said the urban sector of Bangladesh has a share of 25 percent of its population and they contribute more than 60 percent to the GDP.

Prof Nazrul suggested that a comprehensive policy should be taken for the cities as at present there are no urban and transportation policies.

Talking to the reporters after the function, Dilip Barua said the Industries Ministry would soon impart training to about 10,000 women as part the government's efforts at employment generation.