DHAKA, May 5, 2020 (BSS) – Leaders of the different business associations
of leather and leather goods, plastic products, accumulator battery and light
engineering sector today called for easing the stringent procedures to help
them avail of the stimulus package facility announced by the government to
fight the impact of coronavirus on the country’s economy.
They made the call at a virtual dialogue on impact of COVID-19 crisis and
response by the priority sectors organized by WBG Sector Competitiveness
Advisory for Bangladesh Project in collaboration with the Export
Competitiveness for Jobs (EC4J) under Ministry of Commerce (MOC) and Business
Initiative Leading Development (BUILD) on Monday, said a press release today.
President of the Leather goods and Footwear Manufacturer and Exporter’s
Association of Bangladesh (LFMEAB) Md Saiful Islam, President of Bangladesh
Garments Accessories and Packaging Manufacturers and Exporters Association
(BGAPMEA) Jashim Uddin, Additional Secretary of the Commerce Ministry Obaidu
lAzam, IFC Private Sector Specialist Hosna Ferdous Sumi and Bangladesh
Engineering Industry Owners Association (BEIOA) President Abdur Razzaque took
part the meeting.
Saiful Islam proposed an emergency fund and requested for supports from
export readiness fund of EC4J.
He informed that LFMEAB has prepared a ‘Management Guidance and Operational
Procedures’ for LFMEAB member factories regarding how a public health expert
should work during this COCID19 situation in line with the WHO and DG health
guidelines to ensure the safeguard measures, which will be sent to local WHO
Representative for comments, then it can be shared with other related trade
bodies.
Hosna Ferdous Sumi said that the EC4J project will be restructured and
redesigned to meet objectives of post-COVID situation and would call for
another meeting soon to discuss these issues.
She suggested to concentrate more on new products for which tremendous
demand has been created while the whole global value chain has been reshaping
now.
BUILD CEO Ferdaus Ara Begum moderated the session giving an overview of the
financial stimulus and wanted to know how best the money can be utilized by
the businesses otherwise employment situation will not improve and business
will not get momentum.
She suggested for more policy support for entrepreneurs for producing more
quality and standard health and safety items to protect the country from
future impact of COVID19.