Industrial sector’s contribution to GDP to reach 40pc by 2021: Humayun

Industries minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun today (Sunday) said contribution of industrial sector to GDP will reach 40 per cent by 2021 as the government is providing all sorts of efforts in this regard.

“We are working to achieve the target of 40 per cent contribution of industrial sector to GDP and having at least 25 per cent of total workforce in the sector. In the fiscal 2017-18, contribution of industrial sector to GDP was 33.71 per cent, grew 35.15 per cent in the fiscal 2018-19,” he said.

The minister was speaking as the chief guest at an award giving function of the “National Productivity and Quality Excellent Award-2018” at the Institution of Diploma Engineers, Bangladesh (IDEB) auditorium in the city.

State minister for industries Kamal Ahmed Mojumder attended the function as the special guest while industries secretary Md Abdul Halim presided over.

National Productivity Organisation (NPO) director SM Asrafuzzaman delivered the welcome speech.

Speaking as the chief guest, Humayun said the government is working relentlessly to turn Bangladesh into middle-income country by 2021 and developed country by 2041.

“The government is providing efforts to make the country’s environment more business-friendly. We have already achieved remarkable success in the industrialisation,” he added.

Kamal Mojumder hoped that the award will encourage entrepreneurs to produce and marketing the standard products. “Under the instruction of prime minister Sheikh Hasina, industries ministry introduced the award for increasing productivity,” he said.

NPO under the industries ministry has awarded 28 industries and services oriented organisations with the ‘National Productivity and Quality Excellent Award-2018’ for their outstanding contribution in increasing productivity.

The award has been given under six categories -large, medium, small, micro, cottage and hi-tech industry.

Three organisations have also been awarded by giving ‘Institutional Appreciation Crest-2018′ for the first time.

The representatives of Square Fashions Limited, Genesis Fashions Limited and Wisdom Attires Limited received the award under large industry textile and RMG sub category while Mymunsingh Agro Limited, Square Food and Beverage Limited and Olympic Industries Limited were awarded under the large industry food sub category, BSS reports.

Beximco Pharmaceuticals Limited, ACI Godrej Agrovet Pvt Ltd and Allplast Bangladesh Limited were awarded under the large industry chemical sub category while Bangladesh Steel Re-rolling Mills Limited, BRB Cables Industry Limited and Ifad Autos Limited were under the large industry Isphat and engineering sub category.

Standard Bank Limited, British America Tobacco Bangladesh Company Limited and Walton Hi-Tech Industries Limited were awarded under the large industry others category.

Representative from Divine IT Limited, Saad Musa Fabrics Limited and Q&S Container Services Limited received the award under the medium industry category while Bongo Backers Limited, Sun Basic Chemicals Limited and Masco Oversees Limited were awarded under the micro industry category.

Greeho Shukhon Butiques and Hamim Lasik Beauty Parlours were awarded under the cottage industry category while Pragoti Industries Limited, Chittagong Urea Fertilizer Limited and Khulna Shipyard Limited received the award under state-owned industry category.

National Association of Small Cottage Industries of Bangladesh (NASCIB), Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers’ and Exporters Association (BKMEA) and Bangladesh Agro-Processors’ Association (BAPA) received the ‘Institutional Appreciation Crest-2018’.