BTMA pleas to PM for a rethink on Benamole Port opening

02 Jan '06

2 min read

Bangladesh Textile Mill Association (BTMA) has decided to put up a plea to Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to think over the proposal of reopening of Benapole Land Port (BLP) to facilitate the import of Indian yarn.

The Chairman M A Awal said on Saturday that import through Benapole land port should not be permitted as it may provide a channel for import of all varieties of yarn.

Awal said BTMA will investigate whether the custom authorities had proper infrastructure and experts at BLP to ensure the import of specified yarn.

The opening up of the BLP for knit yarn import will be like an invitation of ones own self destruction, believes BTMA.

The growth of the textile sector in the region is praiseworthy and this has been due to ban on yarn imports through BLP by the government.

Fazlul Hoque, President BKMEA told that local manufacturers charged comparatively high price leading to increase in the production cost. Imported Indian knit yarn may reduce lead time in export.

Knitwear is predicted to become the country's single largest export earner this year, and may also cross export earnings of woven sub-sector, experts said.

Within ten years, knitwear exports stand at $2.81 billion, up from $393.26 million export in 1994-95, they added.

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