Reducing dependency on foreign experts: A roadmap for Bangladesh’s apparel industry

First of all, our reliance on foreign employees or experts cannot be eliminated, as the industry has been developed based on their knowledge and the transfer of technology.

The industry operates on a CMT (Cut, Make, Trim) system, which has been adopted by Korean and Chinese companies. In some cases, Sri Lankan and Indian technical experts have also trained our workforce, helping to develop a group of local mid-level experts. Thanks to their knowledge transfer, Bangladesh now has some technical experts, including specialists in CMT production.

However, Bangladesh still faces a shortage of skilled manpower for establishing industrial engineering-based manufacturing or lean manufacturing practices.

Industrial engineering in manufacturing involves the application of engineering principles to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of manufacturing processes. This can include optimising processes, reducing waste, and increasing value.

On the other hand, lean manufacturing is a production method that aims to increase efficiency and reduce waste.

This is partly due to the lack of industry-focused expertise within our technical institutions and universities. Until we develop industry-ready experts in areas such as lean manufacturing, Bangladesh will remain dependent on foreign professionals.

For example, in washing technology, Turkish, German, and Italian experts are clearly ahead of their Bangladeshi counterparts. When a buyer's product development manager visits a factory and sees a Turkish or other foreign expert working with the team, they can easily understand and rely on the foreign expert's knowledge. This instils confidence in the buyer to share their R&D ideas, ensuring smooth product development.
Manufacturers who visit international trade fairs in Europe often gain insights into innovation and development processes. However, they still depend on foreign management for production execution. Similarly, in machinery innovation, most local engineers and technicians are still behind their foreign counterparts in terms of mindset and expertise.

Meanwhile, technology is evolving rapidly, and new, more complex innovations have emerged in the market over the past few years. The first adopters of these technologies often become the experts, many of whom travel to Bangladesh to share their knowledge.

Given this reality, we cannot avoid the involvement of foreign professionals in the industry. Even now, some foreigners are employed in the offices of global companies based in Bangladesh.
Interestingly, some local entrepreneurs believe that hiring foreign friends, relatives, or associates from the same network can yield good results in marketing and product development. This approach often leverages relationships and connectivity, which continue to play a significant role in the apparel industry.

Such dependency on foreign professionals is likely to remain a reality in the apparel industry. However, we must focus on building institutional capacity to develop local human capital to meet the growing demands of global markets and industry needs.

In this regard, leaders of industry associations should collaborate with the government and academia to identify skill gaps and find solutions.

Experts who are currently excelling in various positions can contribute by mapping the gaps across the production pipeline and offering solutions to address them. They can also advise on how much foreign expertise is necessary for innovation. This will help reduce dependency on foreign professionals over time while fostering the development of local talent.

Sketch: TBS

The author is the managing director of Team Group and former senior vice president of BGMEA

This article was transcribed by TBS's Special Correspondent Jasim Uddin based on a telephone conversation with Abdullah Hil Rakib