The country's ceramic industry has earned foreign currency equivalent to Tk 125 crore in the fiscal year 2000-2001 upholding its reputation in the world market.

The industry that produces wares of Tk 160 a year, also contributes a revenue of about Tk 75 crore to the national exchequer.

If the sector continues to enjoy government support, entrepreneurs would establish more industries and could produce goods of Tk 200 crore a year, concerned sources said.

Fifteen big and around 60 small ceramic industries are in production in the country currently, of which five to seven export goods, Bangladesh Ceramic Society sources said.

Of the exporters, big ones including Monno Ceramic, Shainpukur, Bengal Fine Ceramic and People's Ceramic export their products to different European countries and to New Zealand, Japan, Australia and the United States.

Recent production of sanitary wares and tiles has added a fillip to

the industry, although export of these products is yet to begin, the sources said.

A Ceramic Society report said the industry emerged as a prospective sector in 1987-88 fiscal when the export was 0.8 million US dollars.

In the fiscal year 1996-97, the figure soared to 6 million dollars. Three years later, in the fiscal year 1999-2000, export from the sector surged to 18 million dollars.

Local entrepreneurs now eye huge prospects of export to the markets of US which is not interested to flourish the sector.

Terming the prospects of the industry very bright, Rashed Maksud Khan, president of Bangladesh Ceramic Society and owner of Bengal Fine Ceramic Industries, said Bangladesh was trying to enter new markets in the current age of globalisation.

The industry is also trying to add new wares to its traditional exportable, he said.

The industry can emerge as one of the major export sectors of the country if the hindrances to the

industry are identified and new technological advances made.

Terming the industry as environment-friendly, he sought cooperation from the government, different chambers and the World Trade Organisation to help maintain a rapid growth of it.

Terming the utensils produced in the country on a par with those made abroad, Rashed Maksud Khan said: "We are very much in competition in terms of quality." He called for formulation of a proper policy and its application.

Referring to the government efforts to flourish the industry, he said Finance and Planning Minister M Saifur Rahman assured the entrepreneurs of adding a boost to the industry.

Dr Sanwar Hossain Mondol, general secretary of Ceramic Society, said the future of the industry was bright as favourable natural gas position.