Technology upgradation in the apparel industry is absolutely crucial to remain competitive in the global market, said Faruque Hassan, President of BGMEA.

“Use of modern technologies, tools and software are predominant when it comes to enhancing productivity and quality,” he said while speaking at a webinar titled “AI & Robotics: Global Implication of Artificial Intelligence” on November 14. 

Other panelists in the discussion were -- Ariyan M Kabir, Co-Founder and CEO, GrayMatter Robotics Inc; Prof. Dr. Genci Capi, Hosei University, Japan; and Dr. Patrick Meier, Co-founder and CEO, WeRobotics. Prof. Dr. Lafifa Jamal, Department of Robotics and Mechatronics Engineering, University of Dhaka moderated the session. 

The webinar was organized as a part of the World Congress on Information Technology (WCIT) which was held on November 11-14 in Dhaka with the participation of experts from more than 75 countries.

In his address Faruque Hassan said technological innovations are imperative not only to enhance competitiveness but also to make business sustainable. “There is no alternative to technologies to ensure sustainable use of water, energy and other resources. Sustainability and digitalization are interlinked and greatly complements each other.”

He also opined that automation and technology up-gradation would not impact employment adversely because all the processes required to make a garment cannot be replaced by machines.

“Rather we see this as an opportunity as if we can improve efficiency and cost competitiveness, and reduce lead time through the use of technologies, we will certainly have more business, which means more employment,” he added.

The BGMEA President further said, “We should train our people with the right skills to operate new generation technologies. We need to turn the challenge into opportunity through re-skilling and up-skilling of our workforce. This will enable our industry to be more competitive, and allow more quality jobs.”