The New Nation - Internet Edition

ACCORDING to recent press reports, local ceramic ware manufacturing industry is expecting a steady growth with a US$100 million return from exports by 2015 as the global market favours more shipments from Bangladesh. As many as 21 leading ceramic manufacturing plants earned more than US$ 35 million from exports of their products to 50 countries in the last fiscal year. Of the products, ceramic table wares are being exported to about 50 countries including the United States and Canada, tiles to India, Nepal and Bhutan and sanitary wares to the Middle East, specially to the United Arab Emirates.

Besides earning valuable foreign exchange, the export-oriented ceramic factories along with two dozen other manufacturers cater to the total demand of the expanding domestic demand - the size of which has grown to Taka 700 crore in 2008-2009 financial year. Bangladesh exported only US$ 1 million worth of ceramic wares in 1991 before recording a staggering 695 per cent growth in about a decade, investing nearly Taka 2,000 crore and employing some one lakh people in the industry. As a least developed country, Bangladesh gets 'tax exemption' in the European Union countries.

As expected by Ceramic Ware Manufacturers, the sector would earn $100 million annually from the beginning of the next decade provided the international market has not been affected by the lingering effects of the global economic meltdown. They want the government to promote the sector with various 'incentives' as the value addition of the ceramic sector is almost 65 per cent. At a recent meeting with the finance minister, the industry leaders submitted a 10-point demand for bank loan at low interest rates and inclusion of the ceramic sector in the government's stimulus package announced in the budget.