Bangladesh for the first time will export automobile parts and accessories products to the US market, steering in a new horizon in the country’s industrial sector. which is expected to boost up the light engineering industry.

Initially, three automobile samples- bumper bracket, rubber brush and suspension kits will be produced as part of the first order worth $15,000 for New Milbert International Inc, a US company.

Few other products –grill,piston, moulding, fender and mirror — will be exported to the US in phases.

On the basis of quality assurance of the spare parts, Bangladesh may get export orders worth billions of dollars to the potential US market, Industry Ministry sources said.

“Although the order worth 15,000 US dollar is small in size, it is just beginning of entrance to the US market.

If we can carry the initiative forward it will be easier to turn the country into a digital Bangladesh as envisioned by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” said Industries Minister Dilip Barua at a function in connection with the MoU signing at the BITAC’s conference room here..

Bangladesh Engineering Industry Owners Association, Bangladesh Industrial Technical Assistance Centre (BITAC) and New Milbert International Inc yesterday signed a tripartite deal.

Industries Minister Dilip Barua was present at the signing ceremony.

“We are impressed by the potential of the local light engineering sector. We have ordered few samples of automobile accessories. If they can deliver the order successfully, a wide door will open for Bangladesh,” said Nishan Rahim, managing partner of New Milbert International.

Abdur Razzaque, president of BEIOA, Dr Ihsanul Karim, assistant director of BITAC, were the other signatories to the deal.

Dilip Barua said the government is working for turning Bangladesh into an industry-thrived country by discouraging stopping mills and factories like the previous governments did.

In doing so, he said, a draft of the long-cherished industry policy has already been formulated.

The present administration wants to play a facilitating role instead of regulator and that is why it plans to cut export tax of entrepreneurs, said Dilip Barua.

The industries minister underscored the need for ensuring quality of products rather than maximizing profit.

Nisham Rahim termed the order as a simple and said the order could be billions of dollars if the government provides the exporters with necessary supports including 10 percent cash incentive and low interest rates.

Dr Ihsanul Karim said there is no alternative to implement Vision- 2021 to make the country industrialized. He suggested for engaging the large number of the country’s manpower in the potential light engineering sector.

Abdur Razzaque claimed that the sample products to be exported to the US market are as good as the products of Taiwan and India.

He listed infrastructures and utility shortages as major hurdles in the way of making more foreign direct investment (FDI) in the country.

New Milbert International sources parts mainly from India and Taiwan and supplies them to the US market.

BITAC will provide equipment makers with support in designing and automation.

The light engineering sector has flourished from almost nothing to a multi-crore taka business since independence in 1971.

The sector makes products ranging from automated teller machine frames, pharmaceutical packaging machines, machinery for garment sector and rice mills, automobile spare parts, power looms and machinery for paint industry.

It also produces machinery for making ballpoint pens, furniture, bakery equipments, flourmills, CD and DVD covers, plastic baskets and carriers.

The sector manufactures around 10,000 types of items worth $120 million a year for the local industry.

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW/Paresh Baruah, Commander-in-chief, ULFA The man who meticulously plans all of ULFA’s strikes, commander-in-chief Paresh Baruah, is not one to mince words. He is said to have set up base in Myanmar’s Kachin Hills bordering China’s Yunnan province, running guns for the Chinese. On December 4 morning, even as the Bangladesh authorities were preparing to hand over Arabinda Rajkhowa and his family to the BSF at Dawki outpost in Meghalaya, he called up Sarbari Bhaumik to insist that there was no question of negotiations with India unless Delhi agreed to include the issue of Assam’s sovereignty on the agenda for talks. Excerpts from the exclusive interview: Will Arabinda Rajkhowa bow to pressure and start negotiations with India? ULFA is always keen to start negotiations and sort out the problems through dialogue. But any such negotiations, any talks, will have to have the issue of Assam’s sovereignty on its agenda. Otherwise we are not talking. I will expect our chairman to remember that 11,000 of our fighters, young Assamese who dreamt of freedom, have laid down their lives for sovereignty. We will dishonour their souls if we quietly drop the issue of Assam’s sovereignty from any negotiations. Home Minister P. Chidambaram has made it clear that India will only talk to ULFA if the demand for sovereignty is dropped. We will not talk to India if the issue is not included on the agenda. That is our position as an organisation and my position as an individual and as the leader of our movement. But there are reports in the Indian media that Rajkhowa might start talks by dropping the demand for Assam’s sovereignty. I don’t think it is true. The Indians have turned it into a huge drama but I think our chairman will not betray the sentiments and feelings of all our freedom fighters and the freedom-loving people of Assam. At the end of the day, organisations matter, leaders don’t. If an individual leader betrays the feeling of the collective, he should be prepared to face the consequences The media is talking of a split in your organisation. That is a huge nonsense. I have a very poor opinion of the Indian media, specially the so-called national media. They are jingoistic, they don’t see the reality on the ground. They write what the intelligence or the administration tells them to. There is no split in ULFA. Most of our central committee members and founders are in jail and you must have seen them telling journalists in Guwahati in no uncertain terms that there cannot be any talks without sovereignty being on the agenda and without me being a part of the negotiations. There is total consensus on this issue right across ULFA, within our central committee and from top to bottom. So there is no split in ULFA? I repeat, there is no split in ULFA. Some self-styled security analysts are also suggesting there is a three-way split in ULFA. They are shamelessly working for the Indian state and saying what they are told to. The reality is that from time to time, some of our people have walked out from the organisation and called it a day because they had lost hope in our struggle. Any struggle for freedom, specially against a powerful state like India, cannot be a road without thorns. We will have to face many challenges. But some of our people at times lose hope and go away. That is fine so long as they don’t become lackeys of the Indian state and work against our national movement. If Rajkhowa walks away and starts talks with India by dropping the sovereignty demand, how would you react? Let us not talk about ifs and buts. Our senior leaders will not betray the movement but, as I said, if someone does that, it will be at his own peril. Why is the Bangladesh government after your group? I really don’t understand why the new government of Bangladesh is succumbing to Indian hegemonist designs. They will pay dearly for what they are doing. Are you threatening violent action against Bangladesh? I am not threatening anyone. But if Bangladesh has expectations from India and are doing all this to make Delhi happy, they will be quickly belied. They will get nothing for what they are doing. There are reports that you are seeking, and perhaps getting, Chinese help. China is upset with India for its growing strategic relationship with the US. A major confrontation between India and China is in the offing. But what if that happens? How does it help your cause? Small people like us may either benefit from such a huge conflict of titans and gain our independence or get sandwiched and crushed between the two giants. It is worth taking a risk, is it not?