Bangladesh 4th largest garment exporter: WTO

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FE Report
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has rated Bangladesh as the fourth largest garment exporter, contributing around 3.0 per cent to total international exports, said a top official of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Saturday.
Faruque Hassan, the BGMEA vice-president, made the disclosures while speaking to a group of reporters at his office in the city.
Bangladesh exported apparels worth US$ 12.6 billion in the immediate past fiscal year of 2009-10, which accounted for nearly 80 per cent of the country's total overseas sales.
Mr Faruque said the country's 30-year-old ready-made garment industry, with a stunning growth in exports, for the last two decades, has transformed itself into a global sourcing centre.
Bangladesh is the biggest exporter of cotton T-shirts and stands second in exporting cotton pullover and jeans to European countries. In terms of volume, the country is the second biggest exporter of cotton trousers to the United States, he said.
The BGMEA official said although the low cost production of clothing is still an important competitive edge for Bangladesh, the increasing competition in the global apparel market has caused manufacturers to produce quality products, increase the commitment with buyers and social responsibility in factories, which have made Bangladesh a reliable option in the global supply of clothing.
Currently, there are about 5,000 garment factories in Bangladesh, employing around three million workers, 90 per cent of whom are women.