Photo: Collected
Chairman of Rupayan Group and Advisor of Bangladesh Billboard Advertising Owners Association Md Liaquat Ali Khan Mukul said the value of the outdoor advertising industry has increased worldwide but not in Bangladesh.
Speaking at a discussion of the Bangladesh Billboard Advertising Owners Association at a hotel in the capital on Saturday, he said outdoor advertising is very important along with print and electronic media for marketing and promotion.
Former president of the association Haji Md Rashed presided over the meeting titled “Development and expansion of billboard industry in building smart Bangladesh.” Liaquat Ali Khan Mukul said in the speech of the chief guest that billboard is an art. “We make art with an artist's mind. This industry has a lot of contribution in the growth of GDP of the country.”
He said, “We have to unite ourselves for further development and expansion of the billboard industry. That is why it is very important to institutionalize this organization along with competent leadership.”
"There are various complaints about the previous committee. That's why members from different parts of the country have come here today. Let all kinds of irregularities be stopped in the future. I hope that the organization will become more dynamic by electing qualified leadership through a free and fair election," he added.
Considering the benefits of the members, the Chairman of Rupayan Group announced to give a free space of 1,000 square feet for the organization's own office in Paltan. Former General Secretary Mohammad Abul Hossain Khan, Selina Parveen, Md Ashraf Uddin Khan, Haji Md Sohrab Uddin Khan, Abul Kalam Azad Farooq, Md Maruf Reza, Nazmus Saqib, Zafar Ahmed and others spoke on the occasion.
It was informed in the meeting that even after 54 years of independence, no contemporary advertising policy has been formulated by the state. As a result, the billboard advertising business is gradually passing from the hands of real businessmen to the hands of amateurs and rich people. Due to which the planned beauty of all the cities is being disrupted and the government is being deprived of billions of rupees in revenue.
The speakers emphasized on acquiring technical skills in making new and innovative billboards and sustainable and environment-friendly billboards to build a smart Bangladesh. In addition, the Ministry of Local Government was urged to formulate an advertising policy to end the exclusive advertising business of a particular group.
Leaders said the fast-changing billboard industry not only caters to client needs in product promotion, but also promotes social responsibility and government revenue. Our biggest stakeholder in this business is the local administration. Therefore, the local government ministry should quickly formulate advertising policies to support the development and expansion of the billboard industry in building Smart Bangladesh.
Messenger/Fameema
