Visits: 15
Bangladesh has excelled in the garment industry. Currently, Bangladesh is the second largest exporter of ready-made garments in the world and has exported readymade garments worth USD 42 billion last year, which will reach USD 100 billion in 2030. Bangladesh now has the ability to supply any quantity of goods on time as per the demand. We are working with big targets in export trade.
Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi said this while interacting with a delegation of Primark & Associates, a British retail giant clothing brand. The meeting was held on Wednesday (January 25) in the conference room of the Ministry of Commerce in the Secretariat. The team is visiting Bangladesh under the leadership of Primark CEO Paul Merchant. Prime Minister’s Advisor on Private Industry and Investment Salman F Rahman was also present in the meeting.
Tipu Munshi said, “More than 4 million workers in Bangladesh are working in the garment industry in a work-friendly environment, and about 65 percent of them are women. He said, Primark is our big customer. I believe that this world-famous clothing brand will buy more readymade clothes from Bangladesh. At the same time, to sustain this industry, it is necessary to ensure appropriate price of garments to encourage the manpower involved in the industry.”
He mentioned that the government is providing all necessary support for the development of Bangladesh’s readymade garment industry. Regular training is being imparted to the workers for capacity building. Product quality and design are being modernized. There were some foreign skilled workers in the garment industry in Bangladesh, now only our trained skilled workers are working.
Under the direction of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for industrial development, the work of building 100 Special Economic Zones in important places of the country is progressing rapidly. Many of the works are now at the final stage, he added.
Salman F Rahman, Prime Minister’s Adviser on Private Industry and Investment, said that Bangladesh is advancing efficiently in the competitive world trade. Bangladesh is now able to provide world class and modern made garments at comparatively lower prices than ever before. However, there is a need to ensure fair pricing of Bangladeshi-made garments. Bangladesh now has the ability to supply any quantity of goods.
Primark Chief Executive Officer Paul Merchant said, Bangladesh is very important to us in terms of trade. Bangladesh has made a lot of progress in the garment sector. Bangladesh is producing garments made in green factories in a work-friendly environment. The use of technology in industry has become more attractive and garments made in Bangladesh are very dear to us.
The delegation included – ABF Director and Company Secretary Paul Lister, ABF Group Corporate Responsibility Director Katharine Stewart, Executive Chairman of the Ecoloc Board Juan Chaparo, Primark Head of Policy and Public Affairs Emma Ormond, Primark Head of Sourcing Madiu Arhodes and Beximco Bangladesh Limited Group Director and Chief Executive Officer Syed Naved Hussain.
