Newly established Bangladesh service centre

The International Trade Centre of Geneva has extended support to the Bangladesh Tanners and Exporters Association in developing technical capacity and a certification system for leather exports at the newly established Bangladesh Service Centre. Under the programme, two experts S K Gujudhar and B Bhattacharya conducted a two day workshop organised by the BLSC at the Bangladesh College of Leather Technology (BCLT), sources said. BLSC would develop expertise to conduct quality and chemical testing, ensure certification and accreditation, technical facilities, training of operators and trainers, design and development especially for the leather and products' exporters. Leather experts have also suggested different machines and developing the expertise to build up the BLSC laboratory that would develop within one year, said ITC official Shahidul Islam. The government has already approved the fund for BLSC and has started the disbursement for this project. The government of Italy in cooperation with the International Trade Centre (ITC) Geneva funded the BLSC's first phase, which was established in the Bangladesh College of Leather Technology. The first phase project of the centre will involve US$1.87 million. Three years after the completion of the first phase, the second phase of the centre will be set up at the upcoming leather village at Savar. A piece of land has also been earmarked by FSCIC for BLSC. At present leather exporters of the country get their products tested in India. According to the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), export of leather and footwear fetched US$200 million and $87 million respectively in the last fiscal year.