India Trade Fair from Feb 25 in city

http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/more.php?news_id=84739

India Trade Fair from Feb 25 in city
FE Report

A three-day long ‘India Trade Fair (ITF) 2010′ will be held from February 25 to 27 at the Winter Garden and Tennis Court of Dhaka Sheraton Hotel.

India-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (IBCCI) in cooperation with Indian High Commission in Dhaka will organise the event.

“The fair will help establish linkage between the business communities of both the countries,” Abdul Matlub Ahmed, president of IBCCI said at a press conference Wednesday.

Participants from South India, Punjab, Gujarat and many other parts of India, who are generally still unaware of the business potentiality in Bangladesh, are expected to take part in the fair, he explained.

The Indian entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to assess the Bangladesh market; he added hoping that the Indian companies will come forward with bigger investments in Bangladesh.

“Bangladeshi companies willing to export products and services to India will get discounts to encourage them to take part in the ITF 2010,” the IBCCI president said.

Two seminars will be held on the sidelines of the fair where business personalities from both the countries will present the business perspectives and potentialities of the two countries, he added.

A large number of Indian and Bangladeshi companies will exhibit their products in 79 stalls and 16 pavillions in the fair.

Dewan Sultan Ahmed chairman of the Fair Sub-Committee, IBCCI; Kazi Wahidul Alam managing director of Triune Exhibition and Event Management Services Ltd and Abul Kashem Ahmed first vice president of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry, among others, were present in the programme.

BB cuts bank service charges

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BB cuts bank service charges
Rejaul Karim Byron

Bangladesh Bank has once again lowered different banking charges, fees and commissions to provide assistance to businessmen hurt by falling exports.

The central bank yesterday sent a letter to all commercial banks on the new decision.

The highest rate of tri-monthly commission for opening deferred L/Cs may be fixed at 0.50 percent of the total amount, down from 0.60 percent now.

The L/C confirmation charge has been fixed at a maximum of 0.20 percent from the existing 0.25 percent. L/C advising, amendment and transfer charges have been reset at a maximum of Tk 750 from the current charge of Tk 1,000.

Charges for data fax, handling, copy document endorsement have been cancelled, the central bank said in the circular.

Commissions on export bill negotiation and export bill collection may be set at a maximum of 0.15 percent. Earlier, the banks had fixed these charges independently.

When the banks give loans to any customer in foreign currency from the export development fund, the rate of interest will be fixed in line with LIBOR (London Inter-bank Offer Rate) plus 1 percent.

Exporters will not have to pay overdue interests in case of site payments for irrevocable L/C. Site payment means importers will pay the bank on receipt of export documents.

In the backdrop of falling exports, the government is going to provide different types of incentive to the exporters, said a Bangladesh Bank official. The government has already prepared a package.

The finance minister is likely to announce the package after returning from Turkey and the UAE. These steps have been taken in the banking sector as part of the measure.

Investment is also experiencing a sluggish trend. The cut in service charges is part of a measure to boost investment.

Earlier in September last year, the central bank cut service charges, commissions and fees. Earlier this year, the BB has asked Bangladesh Association of Banks and Association of Bankers Bangladesh to review the charges, fees and commissions.

The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry sent a proposal to the BB four months ago to cut banks’ charges, fees and commissions.

Welcoming the BB decision, Helal Ahmed Chowdhury, managing director of Pubali Bank, said cutting charges and commissions is a continuous process.

“We have reduced it at least twice in the past one a half year,” Chowdhury said.

Raw materials for UK’s restaurants

http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/11/19/news0973.htm

Raw materials for UK’s restaurants

DURING last week’s Dhaka visit of a group of British investors, the United Kingdom’s 3.5 billion pound-a year-curry industry run by the Bangladesh-born British citizens figured with due importance as they complained at a press conference that they don’t get Bangladeshi materials for the industry. What they specified was that eighty per cent of the materials they use are imported from India although they do not find any reason for not buying products from Bangladesh if the quality and packaging are of European standard. Britain’s curry industry, run by Bangladeshi-born British citizens, is doing good business as they acquired specialisation in the field. It has been extended to the US across the Atlantic.

Bangladeshi restaurants have sprung up in dozens even on a single street in New York’s Manhattan for popular spicy dishes. Bangladesh could get rewards by becoming a supplier of raw materials to the UK’s curry industry as opportunities are there. Produces like vegetables, species, rice are now mostly sourced by the United Kingdom from India. The only major product that now goes from Bangladesh is shrimp and prawns. The Bangladesh-born restaurant owners asked for government support to open up a trade avenue from Bangladesh. They demanded subsidy for such exports and a cutting-edge standard testing facility for curry industry products to the UK.

Many of the Bangladesh-British citizens who are running curry industry for generations have shown keen interest in investing in agriculture exclusively for producing Bangladesh varieties of fresh raw materials instead of importing from other countries. A number of farms have grown up with such investments from expatriates in Mymensingh and other rural areas for feeding UK’s curry industry though on a small scale. Recruiting the required manpower from Bangladesh to cater to the expanding needs in the UK creates very often problems.

Indian Border Security Force (BSF) Must Stop Killings and Violating Human Rights against Bangladeshi Citizens

http://newsfrombangladesh.net/view.php?hidRecord=293991

Indian Border Security Force (BSF) Must Stop Killings and Violating Human Rights against Bangladeshi Citizens
Wednesday November 18 2009 11:57:59 AM BDT

Press Statement By Odhikar

The Indian Foreign Secretary, Ms. Nirupama Rao, is in Bangladesh for a 2 day official visit for preparing grounds to finalise which issues should be discussed during the Bangladeshi Prime Minister’s upcoming three day visit to India from December19, 2009.The Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Mr. Mohammed Mirajul Quayes and Indian Foreign Secretary Ms. Nirupama Rao yesterday finalised the issues to be discussed. However, the burning issue of human rights violations in the border areas, the allegations of constant indiscriminate killing, injury and abduction of Bangladeshi citizens by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) has not been included in the meeting agenda so far.

Odhikar routinely monitors reported incidents of killings, injury, abduction and other human rights violations perpetrated by the Indian Border Security Force (BSF) on Bangladeshi citizens. According to Odhikar’s statistics, between 1 January 2000 and 15 November 2009 a total of 821 people were reported killed, 858 injured and 903 abducted by the BSF. BSF carried out 91 such killings this year till 14 November, 2009. Odhikar feels that the human rights violations perpetrated by the Indian Border Security Force on Bangladeshi nationals cannot be justified in any pretext, and that international laws have been totally ignored. Furthermore, many of the civilians who were killed were reportedly poor farmers who were working in their fields. On 06 November 2009, Monjuara Khatoon, a 12 year old girl of Kurigram, was gunned down by the BSF of Shahapara Camp under 162 Battalion, when she went near the Izlamari frontier of the Bangladesh side to search for her goat.

The deliberate and unjustified killing of civilians of another country constitutes a crime under international law and Odhikar calls upon the Foreign Secretaries of Bangladesh and India to include this issue in the agenda in order to actively take up the issue with the Government of India and put in place appropriate measures to provide security to civilians residing in border areas in Bangladesh. It also calls on the Government to adequately compensate victims of BSF violence and atrocities and/or their families and demand not only a thorough investigation and exemplary punishment of the perpetrators, but also proper compensation and reparation from the Indian Government in this regard.

ASM Nasiruddin Elan
Director
Odhikar
E-mail: odhikar@citech-bd.com
odhikar.bd@gmail.com

http://www.odhikar.org/

Adidas plans Bangladesh project

http://www.newagebd.com/2009/nov/18/busi.html#2

Adidas plans Bangladesh project
Kazi Azizul Islam

German sport-goods giant Adidas has under taken a project to produce low-cost trainers for poor buyers, a London-based newspaper reported on Tuesday.

Quoting an Adidas spokesman, the newspaper stated that the project was undertaken after being convinced by the noble laureate and founder of Grameen Bank, Mohammad Yunus.

Jan Runau, the Adidas spokesman, told Daily Telegraph that an agreement had been signed to begin production of the shoes in Bangladesh next year. He, however, said that the project was at an early stage and it had not yet been decided whether the shoes would carry the Adidas tag.

Jan also said Adidas is to make trainers [active shoes] at the price of one Euro per pair for millions of people around the world who can not afford to buy shoes.

Pilot production would begin next year in Bangladesh, he said.

Adidas usually makes expensive footwear and celebrity sponsorship but, according to the Telegraph, [Bangladesh] project was inspired by Muhammad Yunus, the pioneer of micro-loans which help the poor start their own businesses.

He [Yunus] told the company [Adidas], which has been criticised for exploitation in the developing world, that Bangladesh needed ‘social businesses’ which would create jobs in the country.

‘It is correct that Adidas Group in conjunction with Muhammad Yunus aims to put such shoes on the market,’ he said.

‘The company has now agreed it will produce shoes in Bangladesh on a non-profit basis, although a spokesman stressed the final price may be higher than the €1 (89 pence) target.’ The Telegraph wrote.

Adidas pays former England football captain David Beckham £3 million per year as a brand ambassador and to use his name to promote their Predator football boots, which sell for £130 a pair. It spent a reported £50 million to sponsor the Beijing Olympics last year and has pledged a further £100 million for the London Olympics in 2012.

He said it had not yet been decided whether the shoes would carry the Adidas brand or its trademark three stripes design, ‘Key decisions on design and branding have yet to be finalized.’

Footwear exporters see silver lining

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=114491

Footwear exporters see silver lining
Sayeda Akter

Leather footwear exports are expected to turn around in two months as the shocks of recession are easing in parts of the world.

Exporters are trying to increase product quality and make prompt delivery to get more work orders from abroad. Simultaneously, they have moved to diversify products to attract new buyers, said industry leaders yesterday.

Local leather footwear and bag exports slowed in July-September, mainly due to the delayed effects of the global financial meltdown.

In the July-September period of 2009, leather footwear exports stood at $56.22 million, which was a 3 percent decline from last year’s figures, according to Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) data.

Leather bag and purse exports have also slowed with sold products worth $4 million during the period, a rise of 5.56 percent from a year ago, although they failed to reach the export target set by the government.

But growth in exports of leather bags and purses was more than 90 percent in the April-June period.

Industry insiders said the global financial meltdown has had a delayed effect on demand for finished leather and leather goods that caused a decline in exports.

But the decline will not continue for long, as developed markets demand low-cost footwear, bags and purses, industry leaders said.

Syed Nasim Manzur, managing director of Apex-Adelchi Footwear Ltd, said footwear exports declined as a result of global recession that affected consumer expenditure on fashion accessories, like footwear and bags.

“Export earnings were satisfactory even three months back, but it dropped in September, mainly because of the delayed effects of global recession on demand for luxury fashion accessories,” he said.

“Another reason for the decline in exports is the seasonality factor. We take orders twice a year and produce different products in different seasons — for example, sandals for spring and boots for winter.”

“Every time we go for new orders, we have to change the entire factory set-up that slows local production initially,” Manzur explained. “But we are trying to smooth the transition further.”

He also said the situation will get better in coming months. “There is demand for our products on international markets, as we produce high quality products and many countries such as Italy have stopped producing high quality shoes.”

The market size of Bangladeshi-made leather footwear stands at around Tk 1,700 crore, of which about 45 percent is exported. The country exports around six million pairs of leather footwear a year.

Apex-Adelchi Footwear Ltd is the country’s leading footwear exporter, claiming more than half of total exports. The company earned Tk 450 crore last year.

Exports of leather bags and purses have also slowed mainly due to lower work order flow during this period. Earlier, the bag exports have risen by more than 90 percent from September 2008.

“We still have a little growth in exports of items like bag and purse, but the flow of work orders have slowed by 50 percent in recent months. Our present growth figures are resultant of the orders we received at least 8-10 months back,” said Ashikur Rahman, managing director of Rahman Leather Bangladesh, a Hazaribagh based leather bag exporter.

“The main reason behind the slower growth is the lack of consistent work orders. Yet we don’t have old and loyal customers abroad, as we are quite new in exporting bags in a large scale,” he said adding, “We still get orders from newer and irregular buyers.”

The annual market size for leather bags and purses stands around Tk 100 crore.

Meanwhile, Rezaul Karim Ansari, chairman of Bangladesh Finished Leather, Leather Goods and Footwear Exporters Association, demanded government support to enhance export performance.

sayeda@thedailystar.net

Malaysia keen to invest in Bangladesh’s petroleum, ship building and energy sector

http://www.bssnews.net/newsDetails.php?cat=8&id=71550&date=2009-11-17

Malaysia keen to invest in Bangladesh’s petroleum, ship building and energy sector

CHITTAGONG, Bangladesh, Nov 17 (BSS) – Malaysia is keen to invest in Bangladesh’s petroleum, ship building and energy sectors to the mutual benefits of two economies.

Malaysian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Jamaluddin Bin Sbeh said this while taking part in the views sharing meeting with the leaders of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) here today.

He also assured of further simplifying the visa issuing process of the Bangladeshis, especially for the businessmen, towards that effect.

Describing Bangladesh as one of the most potential trade and investment hubs in South Asia, the Malaysian envoy laid emphasis on increasing bilateral trades between the two brotherly countries.

“Initiatives would be undertaken for facilitating visits of increased number of Malaysian entrepreneurs to Bangladesh to witness the overall investment-friendly atmosphere prevailing here,” he said.

Welcoming the Malaysian envoy, CCCI President M A Latif MP urged his government to import more Bangladeshi products to help reduce the ever increasing trade imbalance between the two nations.

After the meeting, Jamaluddin Bin Sbeh along with his entourage members left the port city for Bandarban, Cox’s Bazar and Teknaf this afternoon to see for themselves the huge prospects in tourism and fishery there.

CCCI President M A Latif MP and Director Emdadul Haq Chowdhury are accompanying the Malaysian envoy during the visit.

Great Wall to unveil new designs

http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=114494

Great Wall to unveil new designs
Star Business Report

Great Wall Ceramic Industries Ltd, a local tiles maker, yesterday announced a new high-end product to catch up with rising demand on the local market.

“As demand for costly tiles is high, we want to manufacture and supply it to the local market,” said an official of the company at a press conference at the National Press Club in Dhaka.

The company will manufacture and supply large-sized, fine-cut tiles with decorated borders to meet local demand, SM Shajahan, assistant general manager, told the function.

Great Wall has recently enhanced its production capacity to 13,500 square-metre a day from 8,000 square-metre.

The new product will be unveiled at a function in Dhaka on Thursday.

A total of 10 local and foreign companies produce tiles in the country to produce 1.5 lakh square-metres of tiles a day against local demand of four lakh square metres a day, the press meet was told. The remaining is imported.

Asif Iqbal Mahmud, director of Great Wall Ceramic, was also present at the function.

BB chief says exporters will get incentive to enter new markets

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BB chief says exporters will get incentive to enter new markets
Star Business Report

Bangladesh Bank Governor Atiur Rahman said yesterday additional incentives would be offered to exporters to enter new markets with diversified products.

“We are ready to assist entrepreneurs. If needed, we will support our exporters from foreign exchange reserves,” said Rahman at a seminar on fallout of the global financial crisis on international trade financing.

Bangladesh Institute of Bank Management (BIBM) organised the programme where a study, conducted by BIBM academics — Dr Toufic Ahmad Choudhury and Dr Shah Md Ahsan Habib — observed that the meltdown has not left any significant impact on trade financing in Bangladesh.

Garment, the main export item, did not suffer significantly rather it gained a market share in large and developed economies compared with Bangladesh’s competitors.

But falling demand due to the global recession had earlier cast a negative impact on some major exporting sectors such as frozen foods, leather and jute.

“Despite challenges, the global recession has opened up a lot of opportunities. We have become number one in apparel exports to the US,” Rahman said.

The recent data shows signs of a fall in garment exports. Presenters at the seminar feared that garment exports might face pressure in the coming months, as there are instances that the volume of orders has declined.

“In Bangladesh, one observable change in export letters of credits (LCs) received by domestic traders is that the number of deferred LCs has increased remarkably over the last few months,” said BIBM Director Toufic Ahmad Choudhury.

Researchers suggested that a sufficient flow of credit should be ensured in the backdrop of falling export orders.

The BB governor said the central bank has increased the size of the Export Development Fund to facilitate exports.

“We will also give additional incentives to exporters for an entry to new markets.”

“At the same time, we will also help troubled exporters to return from losses, based on the suggestions from the task force,” he said.

“But our exporters should not depend on state assistance. They should have in mind that we want to win by competing with others.”

Referring to the issue of incentives, Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Executive Director Mustafizur Rahman suggested offering economy- or region-wise incentives to encourage exports.

“We should look at economy-wise incentive policy.”

The CPD executive director also suggested the central bank enhance foreign exchange loan limits in favour of exporters.

He referred to the problems of loan rescheduling by small and medium exporters and importers and said: “We should also have a window for rescheduling their loans.”

BIBM Director General Dr Bandana Saha, Managing Director and Citi Country Officer Mamun Rashid, Prime Bank Managing Director Ehsanul Haque also spoke.

Dhaka targets rise in investment, trade with Turkey, UAE

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Dhaka targets rise in investment, trade with Turkey, UAE
Rejaul Karim Byron

Investments in Bangladesh’s energy and communications sectors will top the agenda of the upcoming meetings with Turkey and the United Arab Emirates separately.

In the Joint Economic Commission (JEC) meeting with Ankara, due on November 18-19, Bangladesh is going to propose these investments under public-private partnership (PPP).

A delegation, led by Finance Minister AMA Muhith, that left Dhaka yesterday for the Turkish capital will attend the JEC meet to be held after a long gap.

The last JEC meeting with Turkey was held in 1992.

Besides, the JEC meeting with the rich Gulf country, also a long overdue as the last one was held in 1991, will take place in Dubai on November 21-22.

Mainly migration of workers and exports of new products including medicine and jute goods will come up for discussion in the Dubai meet.

Official sources say a bilateral framework for Turkey’s investment in Bangladesh has also been prepared for placing before the Ankara meet.

The obstacles in the way of bilateral trade with Turkey will also be reviewed.

Bangladesh will propose that the UAE hire more workers. Enhancing trade between the two countries is another goal of the delegation attending Bangladesh-UAE economic talks.

About 10 lakh Bangladeshis now live in the UAE. However, the recent global recession has led to a drop in manpower exports.

Dhaka will also propose formation of a joint committee to make the MoU, inked between the two countries in 2007, more effective.

Bangladesh will try to validate the stay of the immigrants living in the UAE without valid documents.

A set of proposals on investment in tourism, energy and mineral resources, power and communications will also be placed from Bangladesh side.

Bangladesh also targets having a feedback of the parleys with both Turkey and UAE at Istanbul on the sidelines of the World Bank-IMF meeting.

Maize production getting popularity in N-districts

http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/11/18/news0913.htm

Maize production getting popularity in N-districts: Many farmers finding solvency

BSS, Rangpur

The enthusiastic farmers have already started sowing maize seeds in the country’s northern region where a target of producing 6,65,912 tonnes of the crop from 1,02,448 hectares has been fixed for this winter season.Official sources in the Department of Agriculture Extension (DAE) on Tuesday told BSS that 56 percent of the national target of producing 11,70,000 tonnes maize from 1,80,000 hectares will be produced this season in the 16 northern districts alone.

The DAE officials said that large-scale maize farming has changed the fate of hundreds of the poor on the sandy-barren char lands in the river basins as in the mainland and the farmers are preparing for farming the cash crop with huge enthusiasm this season.

They said cultivation of maize on vast sandy-char lands and in dried-up beds of the rivers and their tributaries brought about a revolutionary change to the poor farmers and unemployed youths especially during the past five consecutive years.

The char people are bringing huge sandy-barren lands under maize farming for the sixth consecutive time this year as they got tremendous yield of the cash crop and fair prices during the previous years, officials said. Over 25,000 hectares of char lands in the Brahmaputra, Teesta, Dharla, Jamuna, Dudhkumar, Atrai, Kartoa, Ghaghot and other river basins in the region are expected to be brought under maize farming this year.

Cultivation of maize has also been contributing significantly to the poverty reduction and achieving economic self- reliance by the poor in recent years in the region, including the vast char areas, which has become possible for large-scale maize farming.

Maize farming is always more profitable than many other crops and the enthusiastic farmers are getting high yielding variety of maize seeds in farming the crop using the latest scientific methods of cultivation for further successes.

“The prevailing immense potentialities to increase maize production by bringing the huge abandoned char lands in Kurigram, Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Bogra, Gaibandha, Sirajganj, Pabna districts are yet to be explored fully,” Deputy Director of DAE Kamal Shariful Alam said.

The yield rate has been fixed at 6.5 tonnes per hectare and the farmers are expected to bring more land under maize farming this season and the overall production may cross the fixed target in the region, officials hoped.

Side by side with the government departments, many NGOs have been distributing huge quantities of high yielding variety maize seeds and other inputs among the small and marginal farmers under their various programmes this year.

A total of 9,431 hectares land will be brought under maize farming in Rangpur, 7,868 in Gaibandha, 3,861 in Kurigram, 16,241 in Lalmonirhat, 1,915 in Nilphamari, 22,220 in Dinajpur, 524 in Panchagarh and 5,976 hectares in Thakurgaon under Rangpur Zone.

Besides, maize will be cultivated on 3,478 hectares in Rajshahi, 4,757 in Naogaon, 1,348 in Natore, 6,780 in Chapainawabganj, 13,177 in Bogra, 1,042 in Joypurhat, 766 in

Pabna and 3,064 hectares land in Sirajganj under Rajshahi Zone during this winter season.

Bangla Lion launches WiMAX

http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/11/18/news0944.htm

Bangla Lion launches WiMAX
Dhaka, bdnews24.com

Bangla Lion Communi cations launched experimental WiMAX operations on Thursday.

The Dhaka-based Bangla Lion is only the second operator in the country to introduce WiMAX this after Augere Wireless Broadband Bangladesh, majority owned by UK-based Augere Holdings, earlier this month.

Chairman of Bangla Lion Abdul Mannan inaugurated the high-speed wireless internet service by teleconference from Gulshan. Bangla Lion WiMAX branded vehicles toured the city though the day, exhibiting the service at several spots.

The company says it is hopeful of reaching customers in the capital in a very short time with competitive rates.

Bangla Lion obtained a BTCL license to operate WiMAX, or Broadband Wireless Access, in September 2008. It has launched its operation after 14 months, failing to meet the original 6-month deadline.

Three companies won licenses at a BTCL auction on Sept 25 2008, paying Tk 215 crore each. The third company Brac Bdmail Network Ltd later pulled out.

IBBL trains employees of Nigerian bank

http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/11/18/news0891.htm

IBBL trains employees of Nigerian bank

Business Report

The valedictory session of a week long “Pre-Launching Manpower Development Programme” organised by Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd was held on Sunday at the conference hall of its training and research academy.

Prof. Abu Nasser Muhammad Abduz Zaher, Chairman, Board of Directors of Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd. was present in the function as Chief Guest. Presided over by M. Fariduddin Ahmad, Managing Director of the Bank the programme was addressed by Nazir Ahmed, Chairman of Academic Council of Islami Bank Training and Research Academy (IBTRA) and former Chairman of IBBL and Mohammad Mustafha Bintube, Chief Executive Officer and Team Leader of Jaiz Bank International (proposed). Directors and Top Executives of IBBL eminent Economists and Executives of Jaiz Bank International (proposed) attended the function. The Chief Guest distributed certificates among the trainees.

It is mentioned that Head office of lBBL and IBTRA arranged the seven day long training programme prior to initiating Islamic Banking in Nigeria by the proposed Jaiz Bank International.

Prof. Abu Nasser Muhammad Abduz Zaher in his speech as the Chief Guest said that IBBL was alone in 1983 while it was incepted in the country. Now seven banks are conducting Islamic Banking. Inspired with the success of IBBL, new Islamic Banks are being established in country and abroad. Islamic Banking activities in Nigeria is also a reflection of it. He called upon the team of Jaiz Bank to fulfil the expectation of the people of Nigeria by conducting Islamic Banking and thanked them for taking initiative to introduce Islamic banking in Nigeria.

Nazir Ahmed in his speech said, IBTRA provides training to the Islamic Bankers of the country side by side the officials of foreign Islamic Banks. IBTRA has recently given training to the executives of Bank of Ceylon of Srilanka on Islamic Banking. He called upon the executives of Jaiz Bank to introduce true Islamic Banking in Nigeria.

Mohammad Mustafha Bintube in his speech said, IBBL is not only doing business but also working for financial affluence of the poor people of the country. People of all tyre of the society are getting service of IBBL. At the same time the Bank has kept the top position in deposit, investment, foreign remittance and import-export business. This success of IBBL is inspiring us. It is our belief that 18 million Muslims of Nigeria will also attain the consequence of this success.

M. Fariduddin Ahmad in his Presidential Speech assured the team of Jaiz Bank International of giving allout support in future for establishing Islamic Banking in Nigeria by providing such training and any type of technical support.

Bangladesh now a hub of sportswear outsourcing

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Bangladesh now a hub of sportswear outsourcing

Workers at a factory in Gazipur check Puma sportswear. The production of quaility ready-made garments made Bangladesh a global hub of sportswear outsourcing. Photo: Amran Hossain

Refayet ullah mirdha

Bangladesh has become a global hub for outsourcing sportswear as internationally renowned brands in large numbers are flocking here to purchase such special clothing ahead of big global sports events.

Quality and cheaper rate of such local apparels attract the buyers, industry insiders say.

Sportswear brands such as Nike, Puma and Adidas are already engaged in outsourcing sportswear items from Bangladesh.

“I have exported sportswear for the players and audience of different countries in the last World Cup football, held in Germany. I am sending huge number of such item for the South Africa World Cup, too,” said M A Rahim Firoz, a director of DBL Group, mainly a knitwear maker.

He sees the rise in buying orders from renowned companies as a sign of better days in the coming years. “The higher demand manifests that foreign buyers have confidence in Bangladesh made sportswear items,” Firoz said.

Dozens of garment factories are now getting export orders round the year, he added.

Talking to The Daily Star, Viyellatex Group Chairman and Managing Director K M Rezaul Hasanat pointed to another factor that contributed to the high demand for sportswear.

This clothing is being used as a fashion item as western styles pass through a wider change.

“Nowadays, people also wear sportswear as casual dresses at home or office. This is why the demand for such clothing is increasing in the western world,” Hasanat said.

Bangladesh has been supplying sportswear for different renowned football, cricket and baseball clubs in USA, EU and other countries, he added.

When asked, Managing Director of Epyllion Group Reaz Uddin Al-Mamoon said his company has already started shipment of jerseys for audience of the World Cup football in South Africa in 2010.

“I hope I fetch $5.0 million this year from exports of at least 25 lakh pieces of sportswear to South Africa,” he said, pointing his finger at the recently-signed agreement with the Federation of International Football Association (FIFA).

Mamoon said he has already completed the shipment of 2 lakh pieces of sportswear to South Africa and the rest of the shipments will be completed soon. He said he sent sportswear also for the Germany World Cup.

“Bangladesh has ample scope for being a major global market player in sportswear as the country can supply fine stitched products with cheaper rates,” Mamoon said.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh exported RMG products worth $3.03 billion in the first three months (July-September) of the current fiscal year compared with $3.35 billion in the same period last year.

The target for knitwear export was fixed at $7.29 billion in fiscal 2009-10 against the achievement at $6.429 billion in 2008-09. In the case of woven, the export target was fixed at $6.68 billion for the current fiscal year against $5.91 billion earned in 2008-09, the Export Promotion Bureau said.

reefat@thedailystar.net

Cement makers look to brighter days

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Cement makers look to brighter days
Kawsar Khan

Local cement makers see bright prospects for the days to come as the government plans to embark on some big civil engineering projects in Bangladesh, including the Padma Bridge.

Some local companies are enhancing their production capacity, as domestic demand has consistently been on the rise for the past few years, except for 2007, along with increasing government initiatives, sector people said.

The government plans to complete construction of the 6.15-kilometre long Padma Bridge, which will be the largest civil engineering project of Bangladesh, and Dhaka-Chittagong express highway in its tenure.

The government’s plans to set up several flyovers in Dhaka under the strategic transport plan and build 142 bridges across the country are expected to bring vibrancy to the cement sector.

“As local companies have improved a great deal in the last few years, construction firms are now collecting cement from local sources for big public projects,” said Gopal Krishna Bagchi, a researcher and development official of Shun Sing Group, which manufactures the Seven Rings brand cement.

The sector people said local cement was used in a few recent public construction projects, including the Bhairab Bridge, and the Sixth Bangladesh-China Friendship Bridge (Mukterpur Bridge) in Munshiganj.

But local cement makers were not in the same condition 10 years ago.

During the construction of Bangabandhu Bridge on the Jamuna river, the constructing firm — Hyundai Engineering and Construction Co Ltd — had to set up a cement factory of its own to ensure cement supply to the mega project.

The local cement sector has since come a long way, meeting domestic demand and exporting to neighbouring countries.

Presently there are 30 operational cement companies that can produce around 20 million tonnes of cement a year against a demand for 8.5 million tonnes.

“Assuming high domestic demand in future, we are expanding our production capacity to meet requirements ” said Bagchi.

An official of Holcim (Bangladesh) Ltd said the company was also expanding its production capacity by 0.6 million tonnes due to consistent consumption and export growth.

“Cement consumption in Bangladesh is expected to witness growth of 13 percent in 2009, rising from 8 percent last year,” said Shankar Kumar Roy, general manager (Business Development) of Holcim.

Mostafa Kamal, president of Bangladesh Cement Manufacturing Association, said though cement consumption is growing, local manufacturers have to keep a large portion of their factories idle, as “local factories will be able to produce in full swing when those public construction works begin”.

Kamal urged the government to give local cement manufacturers the same facilities as for the foreign companies for supplying cement to the public projects.

During construction of Bangabandhu Bridge, the government offered duty free facilities to the constructing firm to import machinery and raw materials for cement.

“All cement companies might not be able to supply cement to big public projects for not having large production and supply capacities,” Bagchi said.

Bangladesh exports around 12,000-14,000 tonnes of cement a month, mainly to India.

kawsar@thedailystar.net