Exporters want apparel to become thrust sector, come under separate ministry

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FE Report
Readymade garment exporters said Saturday apparels can fetch US$50 billion a year by the next decade if the government declares it a thrust sector and creates a separate ministry for the industry.
"We can make the dream come true if the government takes initiatives for promotion of the apparel sector," Anwar Ul Alam Chowdhury Parvez, president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), said at a press conference in the city.
The global market size of RMG and textile industry is $500 billion with 12 per cent increase each year, he said.
Parvez said: "If we can take at least 4.0 per cent of the global market, our export volume will reach $25 billion creating employment opportunities for more 10 million people."
The BGMEA president said the country's apparel owners with 30 years of experience and support from the government are capable of increasing export volume from existing $9.2 billion to $15-18 billion a year by the next three years.
Answering a question, he said: 'If we can make our position strong enough, China is unlikely to be a hurdle for Bangladesh after withdrawal of a restriction on its export on December 2008 by the developed countries."
The BGMEA president said the RMG industry is suffering from an acute shortage of skilled workforce, especially at mid and top level management.
He said: "We have started working with the government to address the problems. Vocational institutions should come forward with the required training facility to help thousands of unemployed youths develop skills."
The BGMEA president stressed the need for development of human resources and infrastructure, and establishment of Bangladesh's bilateral relations and economic cooperation with the strategically important countries to help exporters receive more orders.
Besides, he also stressed the need for building the country's image abroad.
However, mentioning the fall of export orders by 35 per cent during the period from July to September this year, he expressed the fear that the owners of many factories might face problem to pay salary and festival bonus to their workers in the next three months.
Answering a question, the BGMEA president said earnings from garment export gained, but its quantity fell in the past fiscal.
Against this backdrop, he urged the government help the garment factories get easy loan from the commercial banks to tide over the present situation.
Regarding compliant issues, the BGMEA president said, as per report as on August 31, all but 132 factories, affiliated with the BGMEA, implemented the minimum wage board award.
He said the BGMEA, in collaboration with the UNFPA, is providing health service to the employees and workers.
The board of the BGMEA has decided to rehabilitate flood-hit people of at least a village to make it a 'model village', he said.
Besides, the BGMEA president said the RMG owners have taken steps to provide essential commodities at fair prices, in collaboration with the BDR, to the staffs, employees and workers of their establishments during the holy month of Ramadan.
Among others, Faisal Samad, senior vice president, ABM Shamsuddin, vice president and Mohammad Abdus Salam, first vice president of BGMEA were present at the press conference held at the association bhaban.