Bangladesh is pursuing a vision of elevating its position as a high value garment exporter in the world, said Faruque Hassan, President of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA). 

“We are seeking every possible opportunity to unleash the potential of the RMG industry and take it to the next level with a strategic shift from volume based production to high-value garments and value addition. The prospect is bright for Bangladesh and we are highly optimistic about attaining our goal,” he said. 

“We are developing partnerships with global brands, technology providers, industry associations, international organizations and other stakeholders to collaborate on building the capabilities of the industry in manufacturing high value garments, especially products made from manmade fibre and technical textiles. Also we are working on developing Bangladesh as a global hub of recycling,” he remarked. 

“We have also taken initiatives to develop fashionable garments linking the rich culture and heritage of Bangladesh with fashion. With the support of the government, BGMEA is providing training to Bangladeshi fashion professionals and designers so that they can develop fashionable garments using homegrown heritage materials like Muslin, Jamdani, Khadi, Silk, Monipuri etc.” he further said. 

Faruque Hassan came up with the observations while addressing the opening ceremony of the 11th Intex Bangladesh Trade Expo organized by Worldex India in Dhaka on June 22. 

Mohammed Hatem, Executive President, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA); Rajesh Bhagat, Managing Director, Worldex India; Sunil Patwary, Chairman,

Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL); and Mahesh N Sanil, Executive Director at Powerloom Development and Export Promotion Council also spoke at the event. 

In his address as a special guest, the BGMEA President said Bangladesh and India have a huge scope to complement each other in the apparel and textile trade. 

He said avenues of cooperation might include expanding business opportunities for garment exports, raw materials supply, exchange of knowledge, expertise and technologies that would benefit both Bangladesh and India. 

Bangladesh is making all-out efforts to move to manufacturing non-cotton apparels for sustainable growth of the RMG industry, he said while inviting investors and businessmen from India to explore the investment opportunities in Bangladesh’s non-cotton textile industry.

So our relationship isn’t competitive, rather it’s complementary, Faruque Hassan remarked.