Jagaran Chakma

The government’s plan to introduce ‘made in Bangladesh’ cars will benefit the country only if a level playing field is created for the reconditioned and locally assembled motor vehicles.

Premier Cement is yet to begin production at two of its new manufacturing units despite getting fully prepared in March, as a few key foreign experts and workers of the company could not return to Bangladesh due to the Covid-19 outbreak.

Importers are facing difficulty in availing duty benefit under the South Asian Free Trade Area after a recent change in rules that are compelling them to offer the hard copy of a key trade document or a bank guarantee to qualify.

Maf Shoes, a sister concern of TK Group, is set to invest Tk 1,118 crore to establish an export-oriented footwear manufacturing unit alongside other backward linkage industries at the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar (BSMSN) in Chattogram.

The cement makers are finally getting some respite from the Covid-19 fallout thanks to a slight increase in sales but they believe it will not be possible to book any profit this year.

A return to normalcy is still a far off reality for Bangladesh’s leather sector as the ongoing coronavirus pandemic has led to low domestic demand and a decline in exports, according to industry insiders.

In countries like Bangladesh, being successful in life means achieving financial solvency but while many individuals try to do so by starting their own businesses, they are often impeded by numerous roadblocks, said Mohammed Amirul Haque, managing director of Seacom Group.

Almost all of the country’s major development projects being funded by China are back on track following a prolonged hiatus caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the Economic Relations Division and project officials said.

The Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar (BSMSN) will be brought under a digital security system as a part of the government’s plans to build it up as a ‘smart industrial city’.

Delta Agrofood Industries, a joint venture of SEACOM and Samuda, is set to invest Tk 1,200 crore in the production of various soy and wheat products with an aim to meet the country’s growing demand for healthier consumer goods.

A return to normalcy for Bangladesh’s steel manufacturing sector is still a far cry as factories have been forced to limit their operations due to declining demand amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, according industry insiders.

Samuda Food Product and Samuda Chemical Complex, two sister concerns of the TK Group of Industries, will invest Tk 1,744.80 crore at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar (BSMSN) to produce consumer goods and chemicals.

The home electronics sector is suffering from a landslide in demand with the sales likely to stay below 70 per cent of annual target as consumers are reluctant to spend on luxury items amid the ongoing pandemic, according to various market players.

The planning ministry has expressed dissatisfaction over a decision to put on hold implementation of low-priority projects.

With development projects losing steam for the ongoing pandemic and several months of shutdown, the Economic Relations Division (ERD) hopes to get four back on track by getting loan agreements signed with China this fiscal year.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in January announced light engineering as the “product of the year” in an attempt to bring special attention to the sector so that it increases the country’s foreign exchange reserves through the export of various goods.

While an unhealthy competition plagues Bangladesh’s cement sector for its 43 per cent overcapacity, Bashundhara Group has gone on to look beyond borders for opportunities. It found it in the India’s Seven Sister states.

The government has not discarded its plan to offload shares of several state-run banks, said Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal.

IPDC Finance is eyeing up the premium customers of the real estate industry as the non-bank financial institution believes investment in the sector entails low risk now.

The government’s plan to impose a ban on the import of reconditioned vehicles to promote local manufacturing and assembling will create an imbalance in the domestic market, according to Bangladesh Reconditioned Vehicles Importers and Dealers Association (Barvida).