RMG industry aims to move beyond low-cost sourcing to value-added exports: BGMEA
“We want to move beyond being a chief sourcing destination for the apparel industry. We want to add value to our products," BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu says
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has announced plans to take the country's ready-made garments (RMG) industry beyond being just a chief source for low-cost goods, focusing on adding value to products to achieve more sustainable development.
Speaking at the "Apex Club of Bangladesh 64th Founding Anniversary and Family Night 2025" event at the InterContinental Dhaka today (29 August), BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu said, "We want to move beyond being a chief sourcing destination for the apparel industry. We want to add value to our products."
Referring to the previous BGMEA leadership's goal of reaching $100 billion in apparel exports by 2030, he said, "Many people talk about a $40 billion industry aiming to reach $100 billion. Our current BGMEA board agrees with the $100 billion export target, but we want to achieve it by adding value."
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"If we simply export billions of dollars worth of goods without increasing country retention and adding value, it will never be sustainable. We are pursuing this goal," he added.
Mahmud further said, "We will make the apparel industry more efficient. Workers in the industry have been brought into a central database. This will allow us to interact with organisations like the Apex Club of Bangladesh, which do service-oriented work, by using this database. This will help you deliver your services to the right place."
According to media reports, Bangladesh has been heavily reliant on the export of low-cost readymade garments for over four decades. However, a large portion of its total exports is limited to just a few categories such as trousers, T-shirts, knit shirts, sweaters, shirts and blouses, and underwear.
Among these, trousers, T-shirts, and sweaters form the core of Bangladesh's RMG exports.
Currently, the sector contributes approximately 84-85% of Bangladesh's total exports. As per the Export Promotion Bureau data, garment exports reached $40.20 billion during July-April of the 2024-25 fiscal year.
