Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday called upon all concerned, including the textile sector entrepreneurs, to diversify products and expand market to boost the country’s export income.

“I think it’s very much necessary to diversify textile products by keeping consistency with the world market,” she said while inaugurating the ‘National Textile Day 2019 and Multipurpose Textile Fair’ at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital this morning.

She added: “Simultaneously, we have to add value to the existing products and explore new markets to raise the country’s export income.”

Addressing the function as the chief guest, Sheikh Hasina also asked the public and private sectors to work hand in hand to increase the demand of Bangladeshi products in the world market.

The premier said though Bangladesh holds the second position in textile export in the world, the reality is that it has only 6.40% share in the world market.

“We have to work hard to increase the demand of our products in the world market … we have to formulate short, medium and long term plans for achieving this,” she said.

The Ministry of Textiles and Jute arranged the function with Textiles and Jute Minister Golam Dastagir Gazi in the chair.

The theme of the day is “Globalisation of the Textiles Sector-Sustainable Development”.

Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, State Minister for Labour and Employment Monnujan Sufian, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Textiles and Jute Ministry Mirza Azam and Secretary of the ministry Lokman Hossain Mian also spoke on the occasion.

At the function, the prime minister handed over awards to nine organisations and business enterprises for their outstanding contributions to the development of the textile sector.