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a "one district one product (ODOP)" scheme, which was chalked out to
diversify the country's export basket. Export Promotion Bureau (EPB)
of the government has selected agarwood of Moulvibazar, clay tiles
of Satkhira, and rubber of Chittagong Hill Tracts to develop for
attaining global standards and enhancing productivity. The concept of
ODOP was developed from the " One Village One Product" movement of
Japan launched in 1989 , which became successful and later was
followed by a number of countries across the world. "We have already
made a plan, which is now awaiting approval of the commerce ministry,
to develop these products," said Shahab Ullah, vice chairman of EPB.
EPB officials said there is a huge demand for these products in the
global market and Bangladesh has a potential to cater to the demand.
But now the country is failing to tap the potential because of poor
expertise and absence of proper communication with the export market.
The EPB officials said the clay tiles of Satkhira have a huge demand
in the European market but the local artisans are not capable enough
for maintaining international standards. In this context, EPB plans to
assign consultants who would make the local artisans aware of the
quality and train them in line with the export market requirements.
About 60 percent tiles break while burning if the clay for the tiles
is not properly selected. The experts will identify which type of clay
is ideal for producing tiles, said an EPB official. EPB has also
found a huge demand for perfumes made from agarwood but the problems
are inadequate trees and the indigenous production method. "In the
present method farmers hammer nail in agar trees, which is a very
lengthy process. We have come to know about a kit being used instead
of nail, which we would try to give to the farmers," said the EPB
official. Experts in the field will also conduct research to enhance
production of such perfume. The ODOP project will also take
initiatives to improve the quality of rubber produced in the
country. The EPB officials said the project was undertaken in the
backdrop of a huge flow of rural population for jobs to the urban
areas where most of the industrial units are located. The project
aims at creating employment opportunities locally through enhancing
skill of the local artisans. Another aim of the project is to reduce
the country's export vulnerability since only six major export items
now account for 90 percent of the country's total export earning.
For exporting garment products, manufacturers need to import a huge
amount of raw materials, while items to be developed under ODOP
project will be made of hundred percent local products, the EPB
officials said. "At first we had selected 14 products to develop
under the project but the government approved three items since it
could be burdensome to deal with many products at a time," said EPB
Director (Commodities) Omar Faruq.
