The refer let I goods of tlx- <-x port oriented industries includ Ing leather which amount to 20 per cent of the total volume can be sold in local market after payment of duty and lax reports BSS

This was decided yesterday at the second meeting of the National Committee on Exports held at the International Conference Centre (ICO with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

The meeting also decided to accord 10 per cent marketing assistance on FOB value on jute yarn and twine exports. The problems of exports of ready made garment a. leather goods lute goods, frozen food and handicrafts were also discussed at the meeting

The meeting coopted nine members tn the committee

bringing the tola) number to 29. The ik-w members include for eign secretary energy secretary, shipping secretary, civil avia lion secretary, chairman of Board of Investment (BOI), ex ecutive chairman of BEPZA (Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority), president of Employers’ Association, presi dent of Metrojwlitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Salman F Rahman.

The meeting was told that the export earnings during the first quarter of the current financial year stood at 1130.98 million dollars compared to 1033.05 million dollars In the corresponding period of the last Car marking an increase of

48 per cent. It observed that as per the trend, the export target of 4380 million dollars for the current fiscal could lie achieved

The meeting also reviewed the progress of I he last meeting It observed that although the N.monal Committee on Export was established in 1993. only one meeting was held since then

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina called for exploring new items for export so that lower trend of export from tea and jute can be covered from the ex port of non traditional items

The meeting decided to hold the Dhaka International Trade Fair in 1997 in a more attractive way

Finance Minister Shah A M S Kibria. Commerce and industry Minister Tofael Ahmed Slate Minister for Jute and Textile A K Faezul Haque, aecre^ tarles. Governor of Baiigladesh Bank. Chairman of NBR attended the meeting.