There are no training courses or opportunities for skill development in the country ‘s furniture sector, whereas different types of such courses are offered in the developed countries their furniture industry.
Over time, people's interests and habits change. As a result, entrepreneurs are also constantly focusing on producing new design products to attract them.
Furniture entrepreneurs said, separate institutions were established for the betterment of the industry, but they are closed now. However, to compete in the international market, new thinking and ideas are required.
They suggested establishing international standard training institutes. Educated people's engagement will boost the industry in the coming days, they opined.
Selim H Rahman, chairman of Bangladesh Furniture Exporters Association, told Bangladesh Post, “Low-cost labor lowers the production cost creating a huge opportunity for our furniture industry. With the rising demand, if we can engage skilled people in this sector, we can offer competitive furniture, this will also increase our export earnings.”
Brothers Furniture’s director, Sharifuzzaman told the media, “We have already discussed the issue with our industries minister. We said the training facility is a must for the industry. There are such big furniture companies in the country where educated and skilled people can build their career”.
To survive in a competitive global market, it requires increased trained manpower. According to furniture exporters, the furniture industry goes ahead with the latest designs, quality wood, and craftsmanship.It is to be noted, leading furniture companies like Otobi, Akhtar, Hatil, Brothers, Partex, Navana, and Furnitec are the major players exporting furniture. Apart from these companies, some other companies also export furniture to the neighbouring countries.
At present, approximately 85,000 enterprises and nearly two lakh skilled and semi-skilled people are engaged in this sector.
On an average, 60 percent of raw materials for the furniture sector is imported from different countries. Of these, timber, wood coating materials, hardware and accessories, and world-class fabrics etc, are the major imported items.
This sector has some mentionable problems such as high import duties on some raw materials like good fabrics, finishing coating materials, hardware and accessories, and shortage of electricity gas etc.
