BGMEA President urges apparel exporters to stay competitive

BGMEA President Faruque Hassan called upon apparel exporters of Bangladesh to enhance their business capabilities in line with evolving business demands as staying competitive requires adaptability.

Change in the global business landscape is quicker and competition is stiffer than ever mainly due to rapid advancement in technology and business trends, he said adding that "We have to keep pace with the changing business landscape and enhance our capabilities in line with the emerging knowledge and technologies to remain ahead in competition in the global market." 

He was speaking at an Iftar Mahfil organised by BGMEA for the valued members of BGMEA at Radisson Blu in Dhaka on 20 April.

The Centre of Innovation Efficiency and OSH (CIEOSH) -- established by BGMEA to support the RMG industry with knowledge, skills and technical know-how to face the future challenges and enhance its competiveness -- will be inaugurated in May 2022, Faruque Hassan informed the members of BGMEA.

He said BGMEA is also working on apparel diplomacy in its efforts to open a window of opportunities for Bangladesh's RMG industry and realise untapped trade potential. 

"We have visited Europe, the USA and Canada, which are our major export market, and held a number of meeting with key stakeholders including Director-General of the World Trade Organization (WTO), Director General of the International Labour Organization (ILO), key personnel at European Union, the President of the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) and the President and CEO of the Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP)," he said.

Discussions and engagement with the stakeholders not only help to strengthen business relations and retain existing trade benefits but also pave the way of new opportunities, he further remarked.

"We have to work on the future priorities of the garment industry, especially more focus on diversification in products, market and innovation in product development and process optimization," the BGMEA President said.

The  industry  is  also  giving  priority  to  shifting  from  cotton  to  value-added  non-cotton  products  including technical  textiles  and  the  move  will  require  technological  upgradation  and  skills  development  in  the sector

BGMEA  President  Faruque  Hassan  highlighted  the  need  for  investment  in  the  backward  linkage  industry to  develop  own  capacity  as  Bangladesh  will  have  to  face  the  double  transformation  rules  of  origin  in the post-LDC era. 

He said the RMG industry is not only about bringing valuable foreign exchange for Bangladesh through exports, it also serves as a catalyst for socioeconomic development of the country. The industry is also a means for millions to transform their lives. 

So building on the achievements we have made so far, we will work unitedly to take the RMG industry to a new height of glory and continue to contribute to the development of Bangladesh, he added.

Former Presidents of BGMEA SM Fazlul Hoque, Abdus Salam Murshedy, MP and Md. Siddiqur Rahman were present at the Iftar Mahfil which was also attended by BGMEA Senior Vice President SM Mannan (Kochi), Vice President Shahidullah Azim, Vice President (Finance) Khandoker Rafiqul Islam, Vice President Md. Nasir Uddin, Directors, Chairs of different standing committees and Members of BGMEA.