United News of Bangladesh

Bangladesh has retained the status of the top exporter of garment items in the UK market in consideration of quantity in the period of January–October 2023. Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) revealing the UK’s import data showed Bangladesh exported 178.39 million kilogrammes (kgs) of garment items to the UK while China shipped 159.25 million kg. In this regard, BGMEA President Faruque Hassan told UNB that considering the performance of the UK sourcing countries, China is at the top. It is followed by Bangladesh, Turkey, India, and Pakistan. Bangladesh had secured its position as the top garment supplier in Europe in terms of volume (quantity) in 2022. Milestone for RMG as Bangladesh becomes top source of Knitwear into EU market “Our position in the UK market remains the same because, in 2022, the UK's imports from Bangladesh exceeded imports from China, and this trend continues in the first 10 months of 2023,” he said. However, Bangladesh's share of the UK's total apparel imports is 23 percent in terms of value and 28 percent in terms of volume, said Faruque. “So far, we have been able to secure our position through potential cost savings, timely product delivery, and maintaining quality, which has kept us ahead of the competition in the fashion world,” said BGMEA President. Govt announces Tk 12,500 as minimum salary for RMG workers He said that the UK market still has opportunities as they approach the saturation point, and the global trade policy and competitive landscape will change over the coming decades. The key to capturing more global market share and sustaining growth will be to shift to higher-value products and higher-value markets by acquiring capabilities in backward and forward linkage industries. Bangladesh can add higher value by moving into the mid-high price segment of the market, where a T-shirt or a polo shirt can fetch higher FOB revenue only because of the complex process (e.g., advanced fabrication, embroidery, printing, even functionality), he said. Incidentally, it would also like to mention that, considering the average price of UK apparel imports, Bangladesh offers the lowest price compared to other competitors. “Our average price is 21.39 percent lower than China, 32 percent lower than Turkey, and even 26.75 percent lower than India. This not only proves that we are not competitive in the global market, but at the same time, our absence in the mid-high price segment of the market is starkly evident. At this point, we need to strategise to capture the mid-high price segment to take the industry forward,” said BGMEA President. Despite anticipated challenges in 2024, int’l market demand for RMG products could rise: BGMEA Director  END/UNB/AI/MB/JA

Clarifying a media report, BGMEA President Faruque Hassan on Sunday (November 05, 2023) said any attempt to generalize incident on the industry and the country at large is unacceptable. The news mentions about technical glitches such as choking and ingestion hazard found it specific product item for babies sourced and retailed by specific brand in specific country. "As the news report mentions about 12 countries withdrawing or recalling apparel made in Bangladesh, there is no reference to such claim, and we could not trace any evidence in support of this claim," he said. BGMEA ready to implement new pay structure govt announces by Dec: BGMEA President "We feel the urge to share this clarification so that misrepresentation of the fact is not repeated,' said the BGMEA chief. He also clarified the reference to OECD which was mentioned in the news report. OECD maintains a “Global portal on product recalls” and the OECD members’ product recall notices are listed in this portal. IMF delegation meets BGMEA President to discuss challenges and prospects of RMG sector Product recall for any valid reason is a standard practice and there are hundreds of such recalls listed in the OECD website as of today, said the BGMEA President. Furthermore, the OECD website mentions “Health Canada recalled more than 200,000 George Brand Sleepers on Wednesday for posing a risk of choking and ingestion. The recall of the product, sold at Wal-Mart, is for sizes 0-5T and affects two styles for boys and two for girls. Zipper pulls and foot grips of the sleepers may eventually separate after frequent washing, leading to choking and ingestion hazards, the agency said, adding it has not received any reports of injury in Canada.” "Therefore, the products were recalled due to certain risk of hazard, which is not the mistake of Bangladeshi manufacturer. Every product made in Bangladesh must pass through a stringent quality control process and laboratory tests including those of consumer health and safety," he said. All exportable products must meet the standards of the buyers and relevant legal requirement of the export markets. BGMEA seeks NBR support to sustain RMG industry's global competitiveness amidst ongoing challenges Any product failing to comply these health and safety requirement are usually rejected by buyers or denied entrance at the destination port. "So any misinterpretation like ‘apparel made in Bangladesh is banned in the mentioned countries’ is false," Hassan said. The alleged products were shipped from Bangladesh in early 2022 and were retailed in Canada from November 2022 to June 2023. Brunei High Commissioner meets BGMEA President to discuss trade-investment potential The product recall notice of Health Canada also mentions that “As of September 21, 2023, the company has not received any reports of incidents or injuries in Canada”. "I hope this statement of clarification will help all to clear any confusion on this matter and not to be misguided," said the BGMEA Chief.

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has expressed concern over the hike in fuel price saying it will have impact on export growth. BGMEA President Faruque Hassan told UNB on Saturday that many garment industries will suffer losses and a number of them may face risk of shutting down. “The export earning target set for this year unlikely to  be achieved thanks to hike in fuel price. Garment owners will count loss for already received orders and many factories won’t be able to go for new production. As a result, the export target will not be achieved,” he said. He said there is gas supply crisis in the factories and those are experiencing load shedding for 5-6 hours  as per the government decision to save energy. In this situation, the increase in fuel price is a big challenge for the garment sector, he added. Read: Bangladesh to stay safe, sustainable apparel sourcing destination: BGMEA As prices of fuel have increased, transport fare and prices of goods will increase, said the BGMEA president adding the salary of the workers should also be increased and then there will be no other option other than closing down many factories.   In an abrupt move, the government increased the prices of diesel, octane and petrol by 42.5 percent, 51.7 percent and 51 percent respectively Friday night. Currently, diesel is being sold at Tk 114 per litre, octane at Tk 135 per litre and petrol at Tk 130 per litre.

BGMEA President Faruque Hassan has said the prestigious position attainted by the ready-made garment industry of Bangladesh is built upon the years of hard works and dedication of both workers and entrepreneurs.   The industry has immense contributions to rebuilding the war-ravaged country which is now a ‘development surprise’ to many in the world due to its impressive performance in socio-economic development over the last 50 years, he said.  The BGMEA chief made the observations while delivering his speech as guest of honor at a program organized by Bangladesh Textile & Garment Workers League (BTGWL) in Dhaka on Friday, marking 50 years of BTGWL.  Awami League Presidium Member Shajahan Khan MP and General Secretary of Bangladesh Trade Union Kendra Dr. Wajedul Islam Khan were present as special guests.  Read: BGMEA urges BBCCI to promote more trade between Bangladesh, UK BTGWL President Z M Kamrul Anam presided over the program. In his address Faruque Hassan said the RMG industry of Bangladesh has made significant progress in the areas of safety and sustainability, especially workers’ well-being and industrial relations.   He further said starting from the elimination of child Labour in mid-nineties, and the emerging compliances issues including timely payment of wages, ensuring the minimum wage, overtime, hygiene at workplace, the industry has responded well.  “The Labour Law was amended twice in 2013 and in 2018, and Labor Rules was promulgated in 2015 to ensure workers well-being and safety at workplace. A central fund has been created under the supervision of the government where garment factories are contributing more than $15 million of their export receipts to be used for the workers’ welfare purposes,” he added.

Brac has expressed interest in partnering with the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) to support the apparel factories in adopting sustainable technological solutions and with relevant knowledge. A Brac delegation met BGMEA President Faruque Hassan Saturday. BGMEA Vice-President Shahidullah Azim also attended the meeting. They discussed possible areas where the BGMEA and Brac could work together for the betterment of the readymade garments (RMG) industry. Read: Apparel industry carrying 'Made in Bangladesh' mark across the world: BGMEA BGMEA President Faruque Hassan said Bangladesh's RMG industry has made considerable strides towards environmental sustainability and has continued its efforts in the area. He called upon Brac to support garment factories, especially small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) in embracing technological solutions for cleaner production. Read: Apparel makers urged not to take export orders without justified rate The Brac delegation included Barrister SK Jenefa K Jabbar, director of human rights and legal aid services, social compliance and safeguarding at Brac; Md Zillur Rahman, programme head of Brac water, sanitation and hygiene programme; Khadiza Ahmed, senior manager, Mahjabeen Ahmed, manager, knowledge management, innovation and fundraising; Patrick Mostyn, programmes partnerships manager for Asia, Brac UK, and Coral Flemming, program partnership officer, Brac UK.

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan Thursday said the readymade garments (RMG) industry is not only making a contribution to the socio-economic development of Bangladesh but also bringing glory to the nation. "The apparel industry is carrying the 'Made in Bangladesh' trademark across the world and we are all proud of it. The industry belongs to all people of this country. The development of the sector means the development of Bangladesh and betterment of its people," he said. The BGMEA chief said the next phase of Bangladesh's economic growth will largely depend on the industrial sector where the apparel industry will play a pivotal role. "So it is everyone's responsibility to protect the industry." Read:BGMEA for branding 'Made in Bangladesh' Faruque was speaking at the event "Sustainability of the Apparel Industry of Bangladesh: Policies, Scopes and Constraints" organised by Solidaridad Network Asia and ESTex Foundation at a city hotel. The programme aimed to provide a platform to policymakers and sectoral stakeholders to highlight the policy gaps and needs and constraints and to explore new opportunities and initiate pathways for implementing solutions to the environmental, social, and economic issues to achieve sustainability of the apparel industry of Bangladesh. Faruque called on brands and retailers to be rational in terms of pricing to make the supply chain resilient and sustainable. Also read: BGMEA shares RMG success stories at IAF meeting There is a sharp disconnect between sustainability and pricing mechanisms, and the factories are investing more in safety and sustainability, he said. "Also, prices of yarn, chemicals and other raw materials in the global supply chain have pushed up production costs in garment manufacturing. But prices are not being offered in line with that. The gap needs to be closed," said the BGMEA chief. Mohammad Hasan Arif, general manager of Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority, Selim Reza Hasan, country manager of Solidaridad Network Asia, Syed Naved Husain, group director of Beximco, and Dr Mohidus Samad Khan also attended the programme.

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President has sought support from all the stakeholders to protect the interests of the RMG industry, especially at the present situation when the sector is passing a critical period. “Support and cooperation of all including the government, entrepreneurs and workers are needed to protect the interests of RMG industry,” he said. While the apparel sector is yet to fully recover from the impacts of the Covid-19, the hike in prices of yarn, cotton, dyes, chemicals and other raw materials has pushed the production cost up, said the BGMEA chief. He made the remarks during a meeting with State Minister for Labour and Employment Begum Monnujan Sufian and Labour and Employment Secretary Md. Ehsan-E-Elahi held on Wednesday, said the BGMEA on Thursday. Read:BGMEA for branding 'Made in Bangladesh' He said the prices are not offered in accordance with the increased production costs. “Besides, the recent surge in Covid infection in some European countries has raised concerns among the exporters.” “In such critical context, we all have to work together so that our apparel industry can face all the challenges and remain competitive in the global market,” said the BGMEA chief. Former BGMEA Presidents Md. Shafiul Islam (Mohiuddin) MP, Abdus Salam Murshedy MP and Md. Siddiqur Rahman, incumbent BGMEA Senior Vice President SM Mannan (Kochi), Vice President (Finance) Khandoker Rafiqul Islam, Directors Abdullah Hil Rakib, Haroon Ar Rashid, Rajiv Chowdhury and former Director ANM Saifuddin were present at the meeting held at the residence of the State Minister. Also read: BGMEA shares RMG success stories at IAF meeting They had discussion on the overall situation of the ready-made garment industry, including its challenges and opportunities. The BGMEA leaders thanked the government for providing support to the RMG industry during its difficult times.

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan has sought the British lawmakers' support for the continuation of duty-benefit for the country after it graduates from the least developed countries (LDCs) category. He met with UK lawmakers Rushanara Ali and Rupa Huq in London Saturday. They discussed various issues, including cooperation between the UK and Bangladesh on LDC graduation, possible changes in the tariff regime and how Bangladesh can retain its access to the UK market in the post-LDC era. Read: BGMEA chief urges UK buyers to raise prices During the meeting, Faruque stressed the need for engagement of non-resident Bangladeshis (NRBs) in the development of the country. He said NRBs have the immense potential to contribute more to Bangladesh's development with their skills, technical expertise, knowledge and investment. Many UK-based NRBs are well-established businessmen, academicians, researchers, and several of them also hold influential positions in governments as politicians and members of parliaments. They can play a significant role in shaping the financial, social and economic conditions of the country, the BGMEA chief said. Read: BGMEA stresses ethical sourcing for sustainable supply chain He sought the cooperation of the two British MPs in encouraging Bangladeshis living in the UK to invest in different potential sectors of Bangladesh, including high value-added and non-cotton textiles. Faruque also informed the British MPs about the strides made by Bangladesh's apparel industry over the years in safety, sustainability and social compliance.

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan has said the next phase of Bangladesh’s development will hugely depend on the steady and strong industrial growth. To that end, he said, industrial police has a key role to play in maintaining a peaceful atmosphere for industries. Read: BGMEA sees the future in value-added, high-end apparel items Since its inception the Industrial Police have been playing a crucial role in maintaining law and order in the country’s industrial hubs, a prerequisite for smooth functioning of industries, said the BGMEA chief. Faruque Hassan came up with the remarks while speaking at a programme organized by the Industrial Police on the occasion of its 11th founding anniversary at Dhaka Industrial Police-1 office premises at Sreepur in Ashulia on Saturday. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan attended the programme as the chief guest while Industries Minister Nurul Majid Mahmud Humayun and State Minister for Disaster Management and Relief Dr Md Enamur Rahman were present as special guests. Inspector General of Police Benazir Ahmed presided over the programme. The BGMEA President expressed thanks and gratitude to the Industrial Police for providing its support and cooperation to the RMG industry through maintaining law and order situations and assuring security and a peaceful atmosphere in the garment sector. Read:BGMEA seeks UN support for smooth, sustainable LDC graduation He praised  the role the Industrial Police has been playing in maintaining harmonious industrial relations between owners and workers of garment factories. The BGMEA chief also expressed hope that the Industrial Police, a specialized unit of law enforcers, would continue its support to the industries.

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has sought all-out cooperation and support of the United Nations for a smooth and sustainable graduation of Bangladesh from LDC to a developing country. UN Resident Coordinator in Bangladesh Mia Seppo on Tuesday met BGMEA President Faruque Hassan at BGMEA office and discussed the issues of mutual interest. They had discussions on various issues including challenges of Bangladesh’s LDC graduation and the areas where the country needs to focus on for smooth graduation and sustainable development. Read: BGMEA urges govt to speed up airport dev projects They also discussed the importance of policy reforms and research to explore strategies to keep the RMG industry competitive in the post-LDC era. Their talks covered how the RMG sector could make more contribution to achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Bangladesh.