A delegation comprising senior officials of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) paid a visit to BGMEA and held a meeting with BGMEA President Faruque Hassan at the latter’s office in Dhaka on May 21. 

The team included Fernando Mistura, Economist/Policy Analyst, OECD DAF Investment unit; Iris Mantovani, Policy Analyst, OECD DAF Investment unit; Sebastian Weber, Policy Analysts, OECD RBC Centre; Matthias Altmann, Senior Policy Analyst, OECD RBC Centre; Soon Chan Hong, Senior Country Specialist, ADB; Mahbub Rabbani, Senior Economics Officer, ADB; and Masrur Reaz, ADB Consultant. 

Vice President of BKMEA Fazlee Shamim Ehsan was also present at the meeting. 

They had discussions about different issues including the role of FDI in the garment industry and the economy of Bangladesh as a whole and the economic implications from the upcoming graduation from LDC status in 2026.

They also discussed the challenges for further diversification and FDI attraction within and outside the garments industry.

The impact of due diligence requirements on Bangladesh’s garment industry also got importance in the meeting.