The commerce minister, Faruk Khan, on Wednesday said government was actively working on bringing down industrial credit rate at 11-12 per cent so that manufacturers could get relieved from high cost of fund and fight better in the fiercely competitive global market.
At the meeting, organised by the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry, business leaders suggested fiscal and policy supports for the local and export industries as they face odds of global recession.
The minister said the government was committed to improve infrastructure for industries within its best efforts and working speedily on tendering process of installing power stations.
‘We want to add 5,000 megawatts of power in five years,’ Faruk said.
He said the shipping ministry had been advised to take necessary arrangements for keeping port charges low and make services there more efficient.
The commerce minister claimed that agricultural sector had been given topmost priority to increase local production and make the country self-reliant.
‘Tk 6,000 crore plus subsidy has been sanctioned to farmers after the government took over charges,’ Faruk said. ‘We realise that subsidy to local farmers is more effective than importing costly foods from foreign countries that provide subsidy to their farmers.’
He also disclosed that government in the next irrigation season would launch a programme to arrange solar energy-run pumps to farmers. ‘Subsidised solar pumps will be delivered to farmers at the first phase.’
Suggesting continuous credit flow at low rate of interests, Chowdhury said, ‘Consideration should be given for maintaining bank interest rate at least for export financing at 8 to 9 per cent.’
Lowering cost of business and keeping law and order situation under control were also suggested by the MCCI president. |
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