Export earnings to cross $80b by 2024, commerce minister hopes

Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi has expressed his hope that the export earnings of the country would cross $80 billion by 2024.

"We've earlier set an export earnings target of $51 billion in this fiscal year (FY22). Now, we're hoping that this figure would reach $60 billion this year. I'm hopeful that the export earnings would cross $80 billion by 2024," he said.

The commerce minister came up with the statement while inaugurating 50 types of online services by the Office of the Chief Controller of Imports and Exports as the chief guest marking the 50 years of the country's independence held at the Shaheed Sheikh Kamal auditorium at NSC Tower in the capital on Monday, reports BSS.

Senior Secretary to the Ministry of Commerce Tapan Kanti Ghosh presided over the event.

President of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Md Jashim Uddin, Bangladesh Competition Commission Chairperson Md Mofizul Islam and Chief controller Office of the Chief Controller of Imports and Exports Sheikh Rafiqul Islam, among others, spoke at the function.

Alleging that a vested quarter has been making negative criticisms over the country's development march, Tipu said that the situation is being changed now and then while the country is moving towards development.

"The big example of this is that the Office of the Chief Controller of Imports and Exports are now providing cent per cent digital services. Some 52 services including that of licence are being available online." He said adding that no one would require coming to this office in future to receive services.

Citing the findings of a recent survey conducted by JETRO, the Commerce Minister informed that some 88 per cent of Japanese businesses now want to do business in Bangladesh while this has been possible since the country has been changed. He informed that Japan also wants to strike a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with Bangladesh.

Directing the officials and employees of the Office of the Chief Controller of Imports and Exports to render instant services digitally with utmost honesty, Tipu said, "We're now moving towards building smart Bangladesh. We'll have to make all necessary arrangements so that people need not come to the office for taking services."

Referring to the inauguration of the much-hyped Padma Bridge on June 25, the Commerce Minister said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had earlier taken the challenge of building this mega structure with own financing of the country. Through the inauguration, the courage and strength of Bangladesh will be projected afresh, he added.

Senior Secretary to the commerce ministry said that from now on no services would be provided offline from the Office of the Chief Controller of Imports and Exports as the businessmen would be able to avail all services online.

Sheikh Rafikul Islam, the chief controller of the Office of the Chief Controller of Imports and Exports, said that the businessmen are now getting all related services including certificates of imports and exports online from this office.

In such a case, there is no need to submit a hard copy by the service seeker. A service seeker will need to file an Online Licencing Module (OLM) account against his or her organisation and thus would be able to avail of desired services through that account. No third party will be able to interfere in the process.