Bangladesh can earn billions of dollar foreign exchange every year, if a vibrant jewelry industry can be set up in the country, Bangladesh Jeweller’s Association (BAJUS) President Sayem Sobhan Anvir said at an interview on Saturday. At present, there are 25,000 gold shops across the country now, where some 4.4 million people are engaged.

“If the sector gets right direction from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as well as support from the banking sector, it may create job opportunities for at least two crore people in next five years,” said BAJUS president and also the Managing Director of Bashundhara Group. There is no alternative to setting up Jewelry industry in the country to fend off gold smuggling, he also pointed out. “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been working relentlessly towards achieving the country’s self-sufficiency and maintaining its development journey,” Sayem Sobhan said.

He thinks that this development journey can be intensified further by establishing a jewelry industry in the country.   He said once “bottomless basket” Bangladesh is advancing very fast towards a developed nation under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

“It is very important to get right direction from our iconic Prime Minister and banking support to make a turnaround of the neglected gold industry,” Sayem Sobhan stated. In reply to a question regarding gold refinery, BAJUS president said: “Now, time has come for exporting gold instead of only importing gold. For this, we’ve to set up jewelry factory.”