Commerce Minister Altaf Hossain Choudhury yesterday said entrepreneurs in the field of leather industry would be able to utilise the facilities at the newly established Bangladesh leather service centre (BLSC).

The centre will help ensure testing facility, certification and technical facilities available at the Bangladesh Leather Technology College (BCLT).

The government of Italy in cooperation with the International Trade Centre (ITC) -Geneva funded the BLSC's first phase, which was established in the Bangladesh College of Leather Technology.

Altaf Hossain inaugurating the BLSC said entrepreneurs could take the technical facilities for their day-to-day business operation within a short period of time.

The centre, he said, would conduct quality testing, ensure certification, training of operators and trainers, design and development and extend financial guidance, intelligence and marketing and pilot test runs.

The Leather Service Business Promotion Council and the BCLT organised the function of the BLSC at the auditorium of the leather college.

Among others, Adviser to the Commerce Ministry Barkatullah Bulu, Ambassador of Italy Dr. Pietro Ballero, Programme officer of ITC Giovanni Dadaglio, Vice Chairman of Export promotion Bureau Mir Shahabuddin Mohammad, LFMEAB president Naser Rahman, Coordinator of Business Promotion Council Ghulam Hussain, Bangladesh Finished Leather, and Leather & Footwear Exporters Association (BFLLEEA) president Tipu Sultan, and Md Nasir Uddin Ahmed Pintu spoke on the occasion.

The first phase project of the centre will involve US$1.87 million. The second phase of the centre will be set up at the upcoming leather village at Savar. A piece of land has also been earmarked by BSCIC for BLSC.

Italian Ambassador Dr. Pietro Ballero speaking at the function said: "We are emphasising the technology transfer in leather sector to support this centre".

About the centre, the ambassador said it would give the certificate in accordance with EU compliance and that the Italian entrepreneurs are interested to invest in the leather sector of Bangladesh.

At present leather exporters of the country get their products tested in India. Bangladesh fetched US$300 million annually in the leather and footwear sector through export.