FinanceMinister AMA Muhith yesterday assured RMG exporters of financial assistance in the next budget to enable the largest export-earning sector to tackle fallout from the global economic crisis.

"We will provide financial assistance for the RMG exporters in the budget for fiscal 2009-10," Muhith told reporters after a meeting with BGMEA and BKMEA leaders at the Economic Relations Division office in the city.

Asked, whether the RMG exporters will get financial assistance in the current budget, the minister said: "Let's see what we can do for them."

The minister vowed to prevent industries from falling into the "sick" category. He agreed that both export orders and prices of RMG products declined substantially in the international market due to global recession.

The RMG exporters may also be given assistance in forms of subsidies on gas and electricity, the minister said.

Abdus Salam Murshedy, president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), said the RMG exports would get a new boost from financial assistance.

Earlier, both BGMEA and BKMEA urged the government to give cash incentives against export performance, but the government did not respond.

The government realised that Bangladesh is losing edge on the international market due to a fall in prices and orders from international buyers as the export figures from October of the current fiscal year showed signs of a slowdown in RMG exports," Murshedy said.

BKMEA President Fazlul Hoque was also present during the meeting.

Source: The Daily Star