Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed Wednesday called upon all entrepreneurs of the country's textile sector to give proper attention to all the relevant matters of the workers for ensuring their welfare.

He assured that the government would always remain beside the entrepreneurs as dedicated supporter and auxiliary force for industrialization and hoped that the entrepreneurs would put in all-out strength in industrialization in the country in the days ahead.

The head of the caretaker government made the call while inaugurating a 3-day exposition of textiles styled TEXBANGLA 2008, fourth of its kind, organized by Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre.

'Made in Bangladesh' is the theme of this year's expo that got off with a different form as it coincided with the silver jubilee of the BTMA.

TexBangla is the prime display event of the products of the BTMA member-mills. The exhibition is designed to showcase world-class textile products-from yarn to fabrics manufactured in private sector textile mills of Bangladesh. A total of 44 textile mills and factories and groups are participating in the exhibition. The number of spinning-mills in private sector rose to 301 in the first part of this year (2008) from 84 in 1995. Some 1340 million kilograms of yarn and 1700 million meters of fabrics are manufactured per year, the function was informed. The industry provides livelihoods to around 45 lakh people.

Yarn produced by BTMA member-mills meets 85 to 90 percent demand of export-oriented knit garment industries while 40 percent demand of fabrics of oven garment exporters.

Overall textile sector, including primary textiles, adds 13 percent to national income. It is keeping signification contribution to employment generation and poverty alleviation, after manpower export and agriculture sectors.

A video presentation was made at the function on the Primary Textiles - on the success and advances of Textile Industry in Bangladesh-highlighting the past history of textile sector and its future potential.

Finance Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam, Textile and Jute Adviser M Anwarul Iqbal, Commerce Adviser Hossain Zillur Rahman and BTMA president Abdul Hai Sarkar also spoke at the inaugural function.

UNB Dhaka