Dhaka highlights green industry, sustainable dev philosophy in Bangkok

Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu on Wednesday highlighted Bangladesh’s green industry and sustainable development philosophy in an international conference in Bangkok. 

He said the philosophy is inspired by the ‘Sonar Bangla’ vision of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and Vision 2021 of dynamic leader Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

Minister Amu made the remarks at the 5th green industry conference for sustainable development in Bangkok under the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNIDO-UNESCAP) joint collaboration. 

The Industries Minister also highlighted that the government has undertaken widespread reforms in the industry sector towards greening of existing and future industries in Bangladesh including in the leather and RMG industry and prioritising a low-carbon economy. 

“Our government is setting up 100 eco-friendly Special Economic Zones with government sponsored green industrial standards for ETP and water treatment plants. We are also pursuing a green financing and green banking policy to finance low-carbon and resource-efficient small and medium enterprises and the supply value chains of our RMG industry,” he said.

The Minister spoke at the ministerial panel on “Regional Perspectives on Green Industry Policy’ in which Ministers from 15 countries of the Asia and Pacific participated, including Myanmar, Lao PDR, Cambodia, Albania, Armenia, Mongolia and Thailand, said the Bangladesh Embassy in Bangkok. 

Minister Amu is on a two-day official visit to Thailand and is scheduled to meet his Thai counterpart on Thursday.

He held a bilateral meeting with Director General of UNIDO Li Yong at the UNESCAP Secretariat. 

The Minister thanked UNIDO for its sustained partnership with Bangladesh for the last two decades and invited new technical collaboration projects with the UNIDO specially for upgradation of the National Metrology Laboratory, effective solid and liquid waste management and CETP for the leather and leather goods industry and development of a ‘Green Industry’ policy for Bangladesh. 

The DG UNIDO Yong praised Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for achieving a 7.8 percent growth rate prioritizing low-carbon growth and assured Bangladesh UNIDOs’ continued support specially in embarking on new projects including upgradation of standards, competitiveness, green industry and Industry 4.0 policies. 

Bangladesh Ambassador to Thailand and Permanent Representative to the UNESCAP Saida Muna Tasneem and additional Secretary Ministry of Environment AM Mansurul Alam were also present during these meetings.