Australia's leading fashion brand CRG eyes greater trade with Bangladesh

A delegation from the Country Road Group (CRG), one of Australia's largest specialty fashion retailers, visited the Gulshan office of the Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI), Dhaka on 13 December.

The purpose of the CRG delegation's visit to MCCI was to exchange views to improve bilateral cooperation and increase trade between Australia and Bangladesh, reads a press release.

Australian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Jeremy Bruer attended the interactive event as the chief guest.

Rachid Maliki, general manager of Global Supply Chain and Sourcing at CRG, led the CRG delegation and was also the special guest of the event moderated by the MCCI President Md Saiful Islam.

Welcoming the CRG team, Saiful Islam acknowledged Bangladesh's need for product and market diversification in the export market.

With LDC graduation in 2026, Bangladesh would have to overcome the challenges of loss of preferential treatment in its export markets, he said, praising Australia's decision to allow Bangladeshi exports preferential treatment in Australia even after LDC graduation.

As facilitators of trade and commerce, MCCI would always pursue improving trade between the two countries, he reaffirmed.

The Country Road Group, a subsidiary of Woolworths Holdings Limited, has a market-leading position in the mid to upper tier of the segment. As of 2022, its brands include Country Road, Mimco, Trenery, Politix, and Witchery.

Both the CRG and MCCI emphasised how Australia and Bangladesh should take bilateral trade to higher levels.

Since Bangladesh's share in CRG's sourcing was very low, it had much room for improvement, special guest Rachid Maliki said, praising Bangladesh's latest factories and how those underscored safety, security, and green transition.

The chief guest Australian High Commissioner Jeremy Bruer said as Australia and Bangladesh produced complementary products, tapping into those could push the bilateral trade up.

Bruer said Australian LNG and wool could be useful to Bangladesh, while Australia could find Bangladesh's agricultural products useful.

The envoy affirmed that Australia was ready to help and support ideas of a bilateral trade boost at the government level. He also underscored the need for sustainability.