Ceramic industry could be export oriented: Fu-wang CEO
Reza Mahmud:
Rafiquzzaman Bhuiyan, the chief executive officer (CEO) at Fu-Wang Ceramic Industry is a vibrant corporate organiser. He is also vice-president of Bangladesh Ceramic Society. Vast accomplished and commendable Rafiquzzaman has been working for 21 years in the Fu-Wang ceramic industry.
A former student of government Titumir College, Dhaka, later passed BSS honors from Chittagong University. After completing his MSS degree from a university, he joined Fu-wang ceramic industry as Commercial Officer in 2000.
In his glorious working life, he gradually promoted as an assistant manager in international department of the company. By dint of his hard labour, working skills and merits, he is now working as the CEO of the company.
His working and liabilities area are not limited to only ceramic industry, he also looks after Fu-Wang’s food and beverage department also.
The corporate leader talked about various sides of the industry in an interview with The New Nation.
The Fu-Wang products have achieved huge popularity among the consumers across Bangladesh. The company also reached the height of one of the top corporations in the country due to his world class leadership. As a result he achieved ‘Best Employ Outstanding Award’ in 2003.
Rafiquzzaman is executing the company’s factory, marketing and sales, and development of every side with utmost success. He is a member of the executive committee of Bangladesh Ceramic Manufacturers and Exporters Association.
He is also an elected vice-president of Bangladesh Ceramic Society.
Responding a query, the CEO said, “Our focusing point is to make the ceramic industry speedier so that it can contribute more to the national economic growth.” Rafiquzzaman said that the industry is now providing 80 percent of the local demands and contributing to boosting the exporting. It has huge potentials to be a major export oriented industry.
The CEO said about 20 lakh people are working in this sector directly and indirectly while about 1,000 people are working in Fu-Wang.
He expressed the optimism that their company has huge potentials to expand its businesses and create employment many folds more in the coming days.
Rafiquzzaman said that their goal is to increase skilled workforce from the local people for the ceramic industry.
“Huge number of foreign people from China and elsewhere are working in this sector. As a result, a good number of foreign currencies are going abroad. We want to shun the practice by arranging more training facilities to create skilled manpower in this industry from our local people to keep our reserve of foreign currency at home.”
About the problems of the industry, the Fu-Wang CEO said a good number of problems are creating obstacles to exploit the huge potentials in this sector.
“Ceramic industry has huge potentials to strengthen the backbone of our country’s economy. But some problems particularly gas shortage are hindering the path of advancement,” he said.
Besides, LC problems during importing raw materials also are hampering the industry.
On the other hand, unjust tariff and taxation system also is one of the grave barriers to the advancement of the industry in the country, he added.
They are paying 32 percent tax, which is a big problem, he identified.
Besides, ecologists have made barriers to collect raw materials from Netrokona’s Durgpur so huge amount of foreign currencies are now going abroad for importing raw materials, the CEO said.
“I think and believe that the government will look after the issues and solve those soon so that the industry can grow with its whole potentials,” Rafiquzzaman said.
The corporate leader said that there are huge opportunities and potentials of growing and expanding the ceramic industry in the country.
He said the educated youths should take training and build their carriers with ceramic industry.
“Educated youths can complete four years course of diploma in Ceramic Technology and can join this potential profession. They can have opportunities to work in this industry at home and abroad,” he said.
Replying a query, the CEO said that the tiles produced by Fu-Wang, attained huge popularity among the constructors, engineers and the customers.
He said Fu-Wang has established itself as a best brand in manufacturing tiles in the country.
“It brought 30 types of new ceramic tiles items considering the customers’ demands and choices,” he said.
The tiles are more convenient to construction work and as a result the architecture engineers, interior designers and customers have wide trust in those items, Rafiquzzaman added.
Highlighting on e-commerce, the CEO said the company is floating their products to doorsteps of the consumers if they order through Fu-Wang’s website as its digital marketing and selling has achieved huge esteem in recent days.