DCCI President Taskeen Ahmed on Saturday said developing a comprehensive roadmap to strengthen the country's chemical backward linkage industry is "no longer optional but a strategic necessity" to safeguard the future of Bangladesh's export sector.
"The export competitiveness of Bangladesh's RMG, textiles, leather and pharmaceutical industries depends significantly on a competitive supply chain of chemical products," Taskeen said at a seminar on ‘Backward Linkage Development of the Chemical-Dependent Key Export-Oriented Industries: Current State and Issues,’ organised by the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce & Industry (DCCI) at its auditorium.
DCCI seminar seeks reforms to cut Bangladesh's chemical import dependency
He said the country's industrial growth continues to be hampered by heavy reliance on imported dyes, chemicals and specialised industrial raw materials, along with tariff complexities, lengthy environmental clearance procedures and logistical bottlenecks.
Md. Salim Ullah, Director General of the Bangladesh Institute of Management (BIM), said the government is currently reforming the National Industrial Policy and suggested the private sector decide whether the chemical backward linkage industry needs a separate policy or a dedicated chapter within the existing one.
He called for stronger public-private collaboration to build a skilled workforce.
Abul Fatah Md. Baligur Rahman, Member (Development) of the Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR), stressed the need to bridge the gap between industry and academia, urging entrepreneurs to make greater use of BCSIR's research outputs.
Citing the light engineering sector, worth around Tk 5,000 crore, he said realising its full potential would require uninterrupted power supply and appropriate policy support.
During the discussion, Sheikh H M Mustafiz, Director of BGMEA, said uninterrupted energy supply, supportive policy measures, adherence to international quality standards and dedicated industrial zones are essential for the sector's growth.
Md. Shaheen Ahamed, Chairman of the Bangladesh Tanners Association, said the leather sector remains heavily dependent on imported chemicals and urged a cut in import-stage duties.
Suraiya Sultana, Second Secretary (Customs: Export & Bond) at the National Board of Revenue, said tariff rates are being gradually reduced to encourage local chemical production and that bonded warehouse licensing has been fully digitised to ease difficulties for entrepreneurs.
DCCI Senior Vice President Razeev H Chowdhury, Vice President Md. Salem Sulaiman, and representatives from relevant public and private sector organisations were also present.