Event

To accelerate Bangladesh’s goal of achieving USD 100 billion in RMG exports by 2030, Business Initiative Leading Development (BUILD) organised a dialogue in collaboration with Chatham House and UNIDO. The event brought together key stakeholders to discuss domestic policy dynamics surrounding the plastic-to-textile value chain. Challenges identified include inadequate support for R&D, technology acquisition, and circular financing, with PET flake exporters needing more significant investments and joint ventures. The dialogue highlighted the importance of adhering to the European Union’s Eco-design for Sustainable Products Regulation and developing internationally integrated standards for plastic recycled products. Discussions emphasised policy support, technological advancements, and sustainable business models to promote a circular economy in Bangladesh’s textile industry.

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Business Initiative Leading Development (BUILD) organised an online Dialogue on Paper Pulp from Whole Jute Plant (WJP): Potential and Way Forward. This dialogue focuses on discussion among the concerned from Jute & Textile Ministry, Bangladesh Jute Research Institution (BJRI), Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research(BCSIR), Bangladesh Jute Mills Corporation(BJMC) and representative of private paper and paper products producers.

Mr Abul Kasem Khan, Chairperson, BUILD, in his welcome note, highlighted BUILD’s meeting with the Minister of Textiles and Jute on 24 February 2021 regarding an initiative on producing paper pulp from the whole jute plant. He said that this dialogue would focus on the scope of commercialisation of paper pulp from the whole jute plant, developing an ecosystem, bringing changes in existing policy, developing a Jute Pulp and Paper Act and so on, keeping in mind the sustainable development fund and climate change issue.

BUILD Chairperson Abul Kasem Khan placed the budget proposals for FY2021-22 to the Chairman of the National Board of Revenue (NBR) Abu Hena Md. Rahmatul Muneem on 16 March 2021. In order to revive the post COVID19 economy, BUILD placed some effective recommendations in a bid to facilitating the tax revenue collection procedure of the government, focusing on widening the tax net, corporate tax reduction, minimizing the gap of supply-side and demand-side and simplifying the tax payment procedures.

During the meeting with NBR, BUILD Chairperson said that we see no other option for increasing the Tax GDP ratio; he added that the existing ratio of direct and indirect tax in Bangladesh is around 35:65, which should be reversed to uphold the interest of the consumers and the productive sectors. Priorities for this year’s budget should be to increase the tax net, reduce the tax rates, simplify tax payment procedures to encourage taxpayers.

The 3rd Sustainability and Green Growth Working Committee (SGGWC) of BUILD virtually discussed different tools and Policies for Extended Producers Responsibilities(EPR) for the plastic sector.
The meeting was presided over by Ziaul Hasan NDC, Secretary of Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEFCC), Government of Bangladesh, while Wasim Zakariah, Chairman of Standing Committee on Research and Development, BGMEA represented BGMEA.

The Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change (MoEFCC) will work closely with BUILD and other relevant stakeholders to ensure an effective policy on Extended Producer Responsibility for the plastic sector, said the Environment Secretary. He added, “We will form two new sub-committees on recycling and green growth under the existing Sustainability and Green Growth Working Committee (SGGWC). The two new platforms should hold regular discussions and deliberations on critical issues on sustainable development in the private sector. We are seriously concerned about pollution control. In that respect, in 2018, there was an SRO on EPR, but it could not play a proper role”.

At the beginning of the meeting, BUILD CEO Ferdaus Ara Begum updated the meeting with the progress achieved in implementing decisions of the Sustainability and Green Growth Working Committee. She mentioned that the Bangladesh Bank had revised the provisions and design of the Green Transformation Fund to make it more accessible for all manufacturers-exporters for importing environment-friendly machinery. The Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) has issued an SRO to get the battery-run electric vehicles registered.