Business leaders of the country yesterday again urged
the government to review incentive package and include some sectors,
which were hard hit by the global economic recession.
FBCCI and
BGMEA leaders made the plea in separate meetings with Finance Minister
AMA Muhit and LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful Islam in the secretariat.
Besides, REHAB has urged the government to include the sector in the
stimulus package and allocate Tk 1,000 crore to help survive the
industry.
Business leaders said the incentive package has left
out various important sectors that were affected by the global economic
meltdown. The sectors include readymade garment, textile and housing.
They demanded review of the package considering the affect of the
recession on the sector.
The President of Federation of
Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry Annisul Huq along with
Salman F Rahman, the Prime Minister's private sector development
adviser, met Finance Minister AMA Muhit at his office and said the apex
trade body will submit a detail proposal for the recession-hit products
like yarn, plastic products and handicrafts next week.
"They
(FBCCI) will submit an one-year plan next week," Muhith told reporters
after the meeting, adding that they have requested to reconsider the
package.
Muhith on Monday hinted that he would consider
increasing the cash incentive for yarn exports as the product has been
left out of the Tk 3,424 crore Stimulus Package he announced Sunday.
The
cash incentives for export of jute goods, leather and leather products,
and frozen food have been increased under the bailout package.
"We'll
try to submit a detail proposal for review of the package as few more
items deserve assistance," Annisul Huq said. "We have requested the
minister to consider financial assistance for the items in the interim
package.
Salman F Rahman said the Minister has already hinted
that he would reconsider the financial assistance for the spinning
sub-sector of the textile industry. They sought increasing the cash
incentive from 5 per cent to 15 per cent.
He said the country's
yarn manufacturers lost competitiveness with the main contender, India,
due to substantial devaluation of their currency against dollar.
Spinners accumulated a huge stock, as a result.
The president of
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association Abdus Salam
Murshedy and his board of directors met LGRD Minister Syed Ashraful
Islam at his office and said the highest foreign currency earning
source readymade garment sector was not accommodated in the incentive
package.
He said both the price and order of RMG fall
drastically due to the affect of global financial meltdown. Refereeing
their meeting with Finance Minister on April 16, he said the Minister
assured to give the sector most priority in the package. Commerce
Minister also spoke in the same way. But the sector has been left out
from the cash assistance.
The BGMEA team put forward some demands in front of the LGRD minister to consider with utmost importance.
Real
Estate and Housing Association of Bangladesh in a press statement
yesterday demanded review of the incentive package and accommodate the
sector for benefit.
REHAB president Tanvirul Huq Probal said the
sector was facing tough time due to price hike of construction
materials. But the sector was left out from the stimulus package.
He urged the government to allocate Tk 1,000 crore for the sector under the package.
Source: The New Nation