Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) – The country’s leading exporters have urged the government to create a ‘crisis management fund’ to stave off any impact of global financial crisis.

Around 72 stakeholders held an inter-ministerial meeting on Monday in the commerce ministry to set an export strategy under the present circumstances, officials said.

The exporters, including those of ready-made garments, frozen foods, leather and agro-processed industry, fearing the adverse effect on leading export sectors have made a number of pleas to sustain in the crisis period.

“The ministry of commerce will hold a national seminar to discuss the recommendations of exporters in the first week of November,” an official was quoted by the Financial Express, the country’s lone financial daily, as saying.

In the meeting, exporters said sharp decline in oil price in the international market will help the government save around BDT 1.0 billion a year.

The government could easily create a crisis management fund for exporters with the money saved from import of fuel, said an exporter who attended the meeting.

The exporters also demanded separate rate for electricity bills for off-peak and peak hours. Currently, they have to pay peak hour rate for their industries.

Commerce ministry officials said the government is also actively considering finding out a strategy to maintain smooth flow of export from the country, according to the newspaper reports.

BBN/SI/SS/AD-23October08-12:24 PM (BST)