Q: As an exporter of home textile and other craft products what's your view about exporting these products?
A: The craft industry was given a little attention in the past. Despite bright potential at home and abroad, initiatives by the government, private sector and the voluntary agencies were not enough to promote the industry as a source of living for the poor. Government is often ambivalent towards this sector due to a perception that it is neither economically important to contribute to the development, nor sufficiently artistic to deserve significant attention to promote the country's culture and heritage. But there are signs that demands in the local and foreign markets are growing for the unique products made by the artisans and crafts people in Bangladesh. For this reason, the government should help craft products makers attend international trade fairs to explore export market.

Q: What are the problems you face as a home textile exporter?
A: We, the exporters, focus on different problems that prevail in this home textile and craft industry. For example, our government posted commercial counselors to different Bangladesh missions abroad but till date these commercial counselors did not take any scheme to promote this industry. Germany is the platform of buyer-seller meeting place where round the year businesspeople from different parts of the world come for business. Many Bangladeshi business organisations participated in different trade fairs in Germany with their products but the commercial section of Bangladesh mission in Germany never took any initiatives to promote these Bangladeshi products to German market whereas India, Thailand, Vietnam and some other countries are doing their best in this regard.

Bangladeshi entrepreneurs cannot be able to reap the benefits from the fairs due to government's unawareness. Besides, Bangladeshi commercial counselors in different countries have no proper background of trade and commerce and so they cannot understand what initiatives should be taken to help the country's exporters. Our Export promotion Bureau (EPB) also stands for helping the exporters but it also doesn't have enough expertise to implement proper development policies. It is very important to justify the activities of EPB and Bangladeshi missions abroad.

Q: Can you give some examples of good initiatives in promoting home textiles?
A: Most of the voluntary agencies or donor organisations working in Bangladeshi private sector development are busy with research works and hardly do field-level activities. As a result, manufacturers or exporters seldom reap any benefit from those organisations. But definitely I can tell a successful story of Danida PSD (Private Sector Programme). Danida has a key person, Amarnath Reddy, who is contributing to private sector development, and runs its programmes successfully with Bangladeshi companies.

Q: What is needed for the development of the industry?
A: We would like to request the government to recruit personnel having appropriate background of trade and commerce as commercial counselors in Bangladesh missions aboard. And the EPB also should take proper initiatives to boost home textile export.

We strongly believe that huge investment with due government patronization in this sector will reduce poverty and also fetch increased foreign currency.

The government should ensure duty-free access of Bangladeshi home textile products to the world market. The government should also invest in human resource development for the craft industry.

Q: So, what's the prospect of home textile products?
A: Still the home textile industry is very prospective in labour-intensive Bangladesh. Proper utilisation of huge manpower can put the economy on a solid footing. Home textiles are less capital-intensive, environment-friendly with low labour cost and have huge demand in the global as well as local markets. This particular industry alone can create a large number of jobs.