http://www.bssnews.net/newsDetails.php?cat=0&id=79222&date=2009-12-28
Industrial policy soon with priorities to hi-tech, knowledge based industries: Dilip
DHAKA,Bangladesh,Dec 28 (BSS) – Industries Minister Dilip Barua today said the government would soon announce the industrial policy giving priorities to hi-tech and knowledge based industrialization.
He said the present government under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina assumed office with the great responsibility of bringing out a positive change in all fields in society.
The minister said this while addressing as the chief guest the concluding session of the 8th International Mechanical
Engineering Conference and exposition of technology and engineering products here.
Department of the Mechanical Engineering of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) organized the
conference with Chairman of the Department Professor Dr Dipak Kanti Das in the chair.
Vice Chancellor of BUET Professor Dr AMM Safiulla and Pro Vice- Chancellor Professor Dr M Habibur Rahman spoke as the guests of honor.
Dilip Barua said the main objective of the government is to improve the living condition of common people and build a poverty free, stable, democratic, peaceful and harmonious society.
“The government is committed to the nation to build up a knowledge-based society with a view to establishing an
industrialized Digital Bangladesh by 2021. For this, the government wants to ensure e-governance, e-management, e-commerce, e-learning as well as e-service in every sphere of the society,” he said.
By further strengthening the drive towards building Digital Bangladesh, Barua said the present government led by Prime
Minister Sheikh Hasina gave top priority to meet the UN declared Millenium Development Goals (MDGs).
“We are working for the development of software, hardware and human resources,” he said adding, “Human Resource Development (HRD), Human Resource Management (HRM), Innovation of sustainable technology, Technological Decentralization (TD) and Technology Transfer (TT) are undoubtedly significant areas where we need to improve a lot.”
The minister urged the BUET authority to strengthen collaboration and cooperation with the government in the fields of Technology Transfer, HRD and HRM and sought all out supports for sake of national interest.
“We are interested to work very closely with the private sector and so we welcome public private partnership and participation for rapid development in our industrial sector using the latest technology, machinery and equipment’s,” he said.
Dilip Barua said the government would provide equal opportunities to both foreign and local investors in the light of the present investment-friendly policies of the government.
The government policies effectively encourage foreign direct investment in Bangladesh with a view to creating jobs for the
vast unemployed youth force, increasing foreign exchange earnings, acquiring new and modern technology and management skills, accelerating the overall growth of the economy and accessing new markets, he added.
The minister called upon all to invest more and more in Bangladesh and to make greater contribution to the growth and development of the national economy. “The government is committed to protect the investment of foreign as well as local entrepreneurs,” he asserted.
Barua also said that the government is committed to develop the local industries to meet the domestic demand from own
productions. “To ensure rapid industrialization for job creation and poverty alleviation, it is a must to develop the engineering and technology sector,” he said.
Referring to the change in the attitude of international buyers, he said, “if we want to expand our export, we must read the psychology of global customers and their mindset.”
Bangladesh is keen to stimulate its economy to install it on the line of Newly Industrialized Economies (NIE) within a short time, Barua said.
With this in view, he said the government has already liberalized industrial and investment policies by reducing regulatory requirements and opening up areas like tax holiday, accelerated depreciation allowance, concessionary income tax and duty on imported machinery and avoidance of double taxation.
