Local Shipbuilders have demanded 15% cash incentive, a long-term re-financing scheme of Tk2,000 crore, plus a single digit bank credit for the development of the country’s shipbuilding sector.
Leaders of Association of Export-Oriented Shipbuilding Industries of Bangladesh (AEOSIB) made the demands at a meeting with Finance Minister AMA Muhith at his secretariat yesterday.
General Secretary of AEOSIB Md Sakhawat Hossain led a four-member team that attended the meeting.
Muhith said: “We will think about the increase of cash incentive and the long-term re-financing scheme, but the government will not take any decision on the bank interest which is determined by the market forces.
AEOSIB general secretary said the political turmoil affected the ship builders while several ship export orders had been canceled over the last two years.
In his address, he asked the government to increase cash incentives to 15% from existing 5% and keep the provision for the next five years.
“Ship building is an expensive task,” he said, adding that a ship building cost ranges between Tk20crore and 25crore.