Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin. File Photo

DHAKA, Feb 12, 2025 (BSS) - Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin today said the 
plastic products can play an important role in tapping the potentials for 
diversifying further the country's exportable items.

He came up with this remark at the inaugural session of a four-day 17th 
International Plastic, Packaging and Printing Industrial Fair at the 
Bashundhara International Convention City (ICCB) as the chief guest in the 
capital today.

Bashir said, "We need to set our policies in light of reality. In return, we 
will prevent bad plastic and live with good plastic. We must responsibly 
strive to increase the production and use of good plastics." 

He said Bangladesh is going to graduate from the least developed countries 
(LDCs) in November 2026. As a result, the preferential access that the 
country enjoys in terms of exports would not be there, said a Commerce 
Ministry press release. 

The government will also not be able to provide any incentives, the Commerce 
Adviser said, adding, "In this case, the country needs to increase its 
competitive edge to overcome the situation." 

"We've to be competitive in productivity and production costs of commodities. 
If we don't have the capacity, we'll fall into great danger," he said.
 
Deputy Project Director of Export Competitiveness for Jobs Project, Akay Lin 
of Yorkers Trade and Marketing Service Company Limited Sheikh Md. Abdur 
Rahman and President of SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry Md. Jasim 
Uddin spoke as special guests at the event with KM Iqbal Hossain, senior vice 
president of BPGMEA in the chair. 

BPGMEA President Shamim Ahmed delivered the welcome address.

Later, the Commerce Adviser visited various stalls at the fair.
 
The fair is being organised jointly by the Bangladesh Plastic Goods 
Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BPGMEA) and Hong Kong-based Yorkers 
Trade and Marketing Service Company Ltd.
 
The International Plastic Fair is featuring more than 800 stalls with more 
than 390 brands from 18 countries.

Companies from China, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Vietnam, the United Arab 
Emirates, Turkey, United Kingdom and other countries will showcase their 
products and technologies at the fair. 

It will remain open to visitors from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm every day.