Nitol Export, a concern of Nitol-Niloy Group, has started exporting leather sofa covers to the US and Canada.

Commerce Minister Altaf Hossain Choudhury yesterday formally handed over the first consignment of leather sofa covers at a function in Dhaka to the president of SB Leather Canada Inc.

Speaking at the ceremony, the minister said government will take initiatives to increase cash incentive on leather export from existing 15 percent.

Responding to a demand by entrepreneurs, Choudhury said after scrutiny the commerce ministry will send a recommendation to the National Board of Revenue on dutyfree chemical import for leather industry.

Abdul Matlub Ahmad, chairman of Nitol-Niloy Group, hoped Nitol's leather sofa covers will get significant market share in the US and Canada. The company has already got $40 thousand export order from Canadian.

Bangladesh can be a potential supplier of leather covers to Canada and US markets, said Surajit Biswas,

president of SB Leather Canada Inc, a partner of Nitol Group to manufacture furniture leather for US and Canadian markets.

Among others, Harun Chowdhury, president of Bangladesh Tanners Association,

Selima Ahmad president of Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Anil Sinha, general manager of SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility, and Mir Shahabuddin Mohammad, vice chairman of Export Promotion Bureau, were present at the function.