BGMEA President Faruque Hassan said innovation will be key to progress for the RMG industry in the coming years where industry-academia collaboration can play a vital role in meeting the need.

Innovation and technologies are increasingly being integrated into the fashion industry to meet the consumers' changing appetite for diverse fashionable products in shorter period of time. In such context, the pursuit of innovation has become more important than ever, he said.

Faruque Hassan came up with the observations while speaking at the Grand Finale of Textile Talent Hunt (TTH)’s 7th season held in Dhaka on March 30.

TTH 7th season was presented by Team Group and powered by Dysin Group where top 5 Transformation Leaders showcased their innovation outcomes set for the transformation of the textile and apparel industry. 

Textile Talent Hunt (TTH) is an initiative of Textile Today--the first ever talent grooming competition for the undergrad students studying in textile garments and fashion in different universities. The program’s focus is to prepare future leaders who will be able to adopt the latest developments coming constantly in the industry. 

In his address Faruque Hassan said, “Textile Talent Hunt (TTH) always reminds and shows us the synchronized way between academia and industry collaboration and drive innovation from it. Similarly, BGMEA is also really focusing and prioritizing innovation. And BGMEA is opening an innovation center in its Uttara premises from next month. This innovation and design center that will help diversify the apparel export basket.”

“To enhance our branding Bangladesh globally – BGMEA has taken a decision that by January 2023 all the RMG products exporting from Bangladesh tags will have written ‘‘বাংলাদেশে তৈরী’’ in Bangla,” he said.

Abdullah Hil Rakib, Director, BGMEA and Managing Director, TEAM Group; Professor Md. Abul Kashem Vice Chancellor, BUTEX; and Tareq Amin, Founder & CEO, Textile Today also spoke at the event.