Political difference hinders trade and commerce: Muhith

The finance minister, Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, on Wednesday said political difference sometime affects country’s trade and commerce.

He said this while inaugurating the 11th Dhaka International Textile and Garment Machinery Exhibition at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital.

Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), Chan Chao International Company Limited, Taiwan, and Yorkers Trade and Marketing Service Company Limited, Hong Kong, jointly arranged the exhibition.

BTMA president Jahangir Alamin presided over the inaugural session while president of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed spoke as special guest.

Muhith said the government had taken several steps to establish a number of Special Export Processing Zones (SEPZs) in the country.

But, he pointed out, scarcity of land is a serious problems to this end.

The finance minister in his speech touched a number of compliance issues in the industry sector including labour standard, occupational safety and welfare of workers.

Kazi Akram said country’s trade and commerce would have been grown further had the political instability not occurred.

A total of 850 companies from 31 countries are displaying garment and textile machineries in 1050 stalls in the exposition.

The exhibits included spinning, weaving, knitting, dyeing, printing, finishing, sewing, iron & hanger system, CAD/CAM, testing and other related machinery, equipment and spare parts.