BGMEA President Dr Rubana Huq on Saturday urged for inter-ministerial coordination for smoother decision-making process while calling for innovation, research and development in the RMG sector for its sustainability.

She came up with the call at a seminar titled ‘Country Competitiveness of Bangladesh: Challenges and Way Forward’ organised by Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) at a city hotel.

The BGMEA chief said, “The country needs to focus on the diversification of other sectors, besides the readymade garments, to compete in the international market.”

Attending the seminar as the chief guest, Prime Minister’s Private Investment and Industry Adviser Salman F Rahman said, “We need to work hard to improve on the prevailing investment climate,” as he hoped that by 2021 Bangladesh will be able to place its position within double digit in the Ease of Doing Business index.

Mentioning private sector as the lifeline of the country’s economy, DCCI President Osama Taseer said, “Investment and trade promotion largely rely on doing business and country competitiveness state of a country.”

“We need to work hard to improve our competitiveness position through focused development moves. Improved competitiveness of Bangladesh will ensure the country’s footwear, plastic goods, ceramic, furniture, jute processing, electronics and ICT sectors to emerge and flourish," he added.

Dr Selim Raihan, executive director at the South Asian Network on Economic Modeling (Sanem), presented the keynote paper while PRAN-RFL Chairman and CEO Ahsan Khan Chowdhury, among others, spoke at the event.