Light engineering can create considerable employment for the country's educated youths and save money spentonimports, speakers toldaworkshopyesterday.

Quoting a recent IFC report the speakers said there are about 50,000 micro enterprises and 10,000 small and medium enterprises in the light engineering sectorthat employs a staggering600,000people.

International Business Forum of Bangladesh (IBFB) organised the workshop on “Identifying regulatory impediments in the light engineering sector and improving transparency” with its president M ahmudul Islam Chowdhury in the chair.

Industry minister Dilip Barua attended the event as the chief guest and Paramita Dasgupta, regional business leader of International Finance Corporation of the Wo rid Bank Group, as the special guest.

Prof M Kamaluddin of Buet presented a keynote paper focusing on policy support to the sector as an import substituting industry. Former commerce