Online Desk:  The Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), the apex trade body representing the business community, is urging the government to enhance facilities for backward linkage industries, particularly related with the agriculture, leather and RMG sectors.

The businessmen said this in the first meeting of the Standing Committee on Backward Linkage Industry held at FBCCI’s Motijheel office on Tuesday (April 30).

Chairman of this committee and director of Shenzhen Metal Industries Ltd Omar Faruk presided over the meeting and senior vice president of FBCCI was present as the chief guest. Amin Helali.

“The backward linkage industry of the country is still suffering from various problems due to the lack of adequate facilities, despite contributing to the foreign exchange earnings and the economic growth of the country, through export of various products starting from ready-made clothes to agriculture and leather,” said Amin Helali.

This industry is going through various challenges due to lack of direct export opportunities. The entrepreneurs and businessmen of this sector have sought the cooperation of the government and related stakeholders to overcome this situation and face the challenges of the backward linkage industry, he said.

Helali said, “Earlier, 100 percent of materials were imported for product production and export, but now we are self-sufficient in terms of materials for various export products, including ready-made garments. Even though imports were disrupted during covid-19 pandemic, our exports were not stopped for this ability domestic supply.”

He urged to capture the big market of the packaging sector in the world. Bangladesh has entrepreneurs and skilled craftsmen.

“Still we have to identify the reasons why we are not able to capture such a large market in the packaging sector in the global arena,” he pointed out.

The directors of the FBCCI and chairman of different sectors’ standing committees, among others, were present.