The three-day “26th Build Bangladesh International Expo 2019” with participation of 267 companies of construction, power, solar, water, safety & security, lighting and real estate sector from 14 countries ended on Saturday.
The international expo with more than 300 stalls were inaugurated by LGRD Minister Md Tazul Islam at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) in the capital on Thursday last.
Companies from China, Sweden, Germany, Italy, USA, Uzbekistan, UAE, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Finland and Turkey participated in this international exhibition with an aim to bringing forth the latest and innovative concepts, equipment, technologies & services related to infrastructure development.
On the sidelines of this exhibition, there has been arranged two seminars. On Saturday, a daylong International seminar and workshop entitled ‘Sustainable Management of Industrial Water and Wastewater: Investment and Operations’ was organized by CEMS Global. Another seminar on ‘Environmental Sustainability in Textile Industries (ESTex)’ was organized by the Department of Chemical Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology and co-partnered by WaterAid Bangladesh.
In the seminars, the lectures contained significant information about industrial capital expenses (CapEx), operating expenses (OpEx), related investment options and criteria, cost – benefit analyses options, problems faced during operation, contemporary state of the art technical solutions and advantages, and crucial green financing options including rainwater harvesting, for the ultimate goal of managing industrial water and wastewater to sustain the future of industrial development.
Asadul Haque, Director, Dhaka Laboratory, Department of Environment (DoE) and Ashraful Kabir, Chief Engineer, BEPZA joined the panel discussion along with the resource personnel and moderator, Dr Mohidus Samad Khan. The open discussion yielded valuable discussions regarding green financing, view and mission of BEPZA, and possible investment options for efficient wastewater management.
Earlier a seminar on Industrial Rooftop Solar - CAPEX, OPEX model was held on Thursday evening.
The comprehensive exhibition arranged targeting infrastructure developers so that they can find all major equipment and services pertaining to infrastructure development. The major sectors and businesses taking part in the three-day expo include power, solar power, lighting companies, water marketing firms, real estate companies, and safety and security firms.
Meherun N Islam, president and managing director of CEMS, said: “According to The Spectator Index, Bangladesh recorded the highest economic growth among 26 countries in the last 10 years. The country’s gross domestic product (GDP) expanded 188 percent at the current price during the period. In the past decade, China’s economy grew by 177 percent, India’s by 117 percent, Indonesia’s by 90 percent, Malaysia’s by 78 percent, Australia’s by 41 percent, and Brazil’s by 17 percent.”
“Once Chinese people did not know the geographical location of Bangladesh, but now China makes big investment in our economy. This expo is a great networking tool for all infrastructure developers, with construction, power, solar, water, safety and security, lighting and real estate companies taking part from around the globe,” she added.
Tanveer Qamrul Islam, executive director of CEMS, said: “Many countries have expressed their interest to invest in Bangladesh. Currently, many companies are even planning to start production units here. The infrastructure of a country is one of the major wheels needed to keep an economy moving towards growth.”
At present, major infrastructure development projects are the metro rail, the double-decker Padma Bridge (roadway and railway), the airport terminal, the Karnaphuli tunnel, and a nuclear power plant, he added.
