Staff correspondent :

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called upon the leather footwear and leather goods industry traders to focus on building ‘Brand Bangladesh’ besides announcing the formation of ‘Leather Development Authority’ for this sector.
He said, “Our products should be marketed under our own name. The name of our country is Bar-A. I want the name of Bangladesh to be bright and big.”
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said this while inaugurating the 4th Bangladesh Leather Footwear and Leathergoods International Sourcing Show (BLIS)-2023 at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center in the capital this afternoon.
 Sheikh Hasina said, I know many products of many countries are manufactured from here and marketed under their own name after finishing in their own country. In that case, I think it is better to look at whether we can create some brands of our own as ‘Bangladesh brand’. In this case, you will get all kinds of support from our government.
He said, I want our products to be marketed under our name. The name of our country is Bar-A. May the name of the country be beautiful, may it grow. Because in these three consecutive terms of the Awami League government, his government has given many opportunities in many sectors.
The Prime Minister said that Bangladesh is producing and exporting a wide variety of products with increasing global high quality and the ability to fulfill the purchase orders of various well-known brands and buyers in the world by adding high value to the exporters of leather goods and footwear industry.
He said that as our economic capacity has increased, the poverty rate has decreased, per capita income has increased and our own markets are being created. It is the people of our country who buy the products now. Where in the past people did not even have a rubber slipper on their feet, now it is no longer seen. Besides, since the government has improved the roads, there is no longer any need to push mud.
He said that the theme of this year’s Bliss is ‘Possible in Bangladesh’, which has appropriately reflected the unprecedented development transformation of Bangladesh through public-private initiatives in recent years. He thanked the applicants for this.
“I believe this Bangladesh is also possible,” he said.
Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, Commerce Ministry Senior Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh, Advanced Manufacturing Group founder and chairman Jonathan Bobbett and Golden Chang Group investor and founder James Ho spoke on the occasion.
Leathergoods and Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association of Bangladesh (LFMEAB) President Syed Nasim Manzoor delivered the welcome speech.
The Ministry of Commerce and the Leathergoods and Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association of Bangladesh (LFMEAB) jointly organized this international exhibition at Bashundhara, the capital’s International Convention City, from October 12 to 14. Bliss’s last three exhibitions were held in 2017, 2018 and 2019.
Entrepreneurs said that BLISS-2023 will provide an effective platform for buyers, brands and sourcing representatives to connect with Bangladesh’s top-tier manufacturers and exporters of leather goods, footwear manufacturers and exporters and allied industries and accelerate existing investment opportunities as well as effective networking, Facilitates business development.The prime minister mentioned various significant changes taken by his government in the leather industry during the tenure of the Awami League government.
He said, firstly, commercial farms have spread across the country and cattle rearing has been revolutionized, resulting in the country becoming sufficient to meet the demand for cattle even during the sacrificial season.
2.5 million cattle are produced annually in Bangladesh.
He said, secondly, only a decade ago the bulk of the country’s export earnings came from the export of leather as raw material, but with the government’s incentives and policy support, the production of high-value-added products such as footwear and leather goods industries has expanded.
Now about 93 percent of the export income of this sector is coming from footwear and leather goods.
Thirdly, to solve the environmental problems of Hazaribagh, our government has taken proactive steps and completely shifted the tannery industries to the modern industrial city of Savar.
The Prime Minister directed to speedily complete everything necessary to enable Savar’s Central Effluent Treatment Plant (CETP) to achieve international compliance certification as well as Leather Working Group (LWG) and Sustainable Leather Foundation (SLF) etc. in this regard, as Bepza authorities have the experience of running a world-class ETP. , therefore announced the establishment of a ‘Leather Development Authority’ under the Prime Minister’s Office (ie Bepza).
He said a separate ‘Leather Development Authority’ would be created under the Prime Minister’s Office. So that it is possible to deal with various small problems of this sector.
To solve the problems of this sector and preserve the skins of the sacrificial animals, his government is thinking of establishing state-of-the-art slaughterhouses and developing tannery industries. In that case, he mentioned the names of Chittagong and Rajshahi after the Savar of Dhaka.
Sheikh Hasina said, we have already formed a task force for the development of the leather industry with the aim of providing recommendations and formulating action plans. We have formulated Leather and Leather Products Development Policy 2019 and Leather Sector Export Outline 2022.
If we can export all of our growing supply into finished products, we can easily achieve USD 3 billion export revenue from the leather goods and footwear sector by 2025.
However, in this case, he also emphasized on diversifying the export of products and increasing the number of export products.
He said, “I want the overall export income from this sector to increase to 10 billion US dollars by 2030. For this we need to take some concrete and effective measures.”
For this reason, he drew the attention of the secretary of the Prime Minister’s office, who was present at the event, and entrusted him with the responsibility.
He also instructed all concerned to take specific steps to take immediate, specific and effective measures in this regard.
This includes- At least 150 acres of land will be allocated for the development of composite leather products and footwear factories in Savar Leather Industrial City expansion project. Here LFMEAB members will be allocated on priority basis for investment.
He said, we have already started working on speed to market. Import-export processes and services will be simplified to minimize export lead time.
Prime Minister said, introduction of common bonded warehouse system for stockholding of importers under common bond facility. As a result, small entrepreneurs can also enjoy the bond benefits. Import is easy, import cost will be reduced and lead time will be reduced.
At this time, if our traditional red tape concept ends, there will be more dynamism in business and trade and the country will be more developed, the head of government called to avoid bureaucratic complications.
He said that decisions should be taken quickly and their implementation should also be done quickly. Some people think that it is better to keep it a little tight or tight. In fact, it is not always good. I believe in the principle of quick decision, quick implementation. There should be no more red tape in work. I will also say to our government officials, if they are a little sincere, the decision can be implemented quickly. Because there is no time to waste, ‘Time is to sort’. It should be kept in mind as well as the country should be taken forward.
Had it not been for the global recession caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and the Ukraine-Russia war, the government could have reduced the poverty rate by at least two percentage points from the 18.6 percent it has reduced and would have reduced the poverty rate from 15 percent to 5 percent. He also expressed strong conviction that no one will remain poor in the country in the future.
At least the Awami League government is making arrangements so that people can live well after eating, he said.
He also said that in this era of economic diplomacy, the government is trying to accelerate import and export trade and find new markets. Because, once we have a deep sea port, cargo can be sent directly, work is also being done in that regard.
Sheikh Hasina said, we are establishing 100 special economic zones across the country. As a result, Bangladesh has now become the most favorable destination for investment and sourcing in the world. Bangladesh can be a bridge between east and west as the geographical position of Bangladesh falls within international air traffic routes. That is how Bangladesh is being developed.
Terming his government as ‘business friendly’, the Prime Minister mentioned various steps taken to develop skilled manpower in the country. He also reiterated the call on the employers to ensure labor friendly environment and welfare of the workers at the workplace.
The Prime Minister urged businessmen to pay their utility bills on time as the government will focus on simplifying the business environment ‘Ease of Doing Business’ and not increasing the cost of doing business.
He also called on the international community to stop the Ukraine-Russia war, citing Israel’s aggression in Palestine.