Govt support to fashion industry sought

Leaders of fashion would have sought government support to protect the growing industry from uneven competition with fabrics of neighbouring country during Pahela Baishakh which caused them to incur loss of billions of taka this year.
They observed that the Bangla New Year's celebration has positive effect on the industry in the country. This year a quarter tried to grab it illegally by bringing in Indian fabrics, they added.
"We are worried about our future business. If the trend, began this year, continues in coming years it would leave bad impact on the industry and on the economy," said Azharul Islam Azad, president of the Fashion Entrepreneurs Association of Bangladesh (FEAB) while addressing an opinion exchange programme at its office Saturday.
Among others, FEAB vice president Shahin Ahmed, Information and Publication director Shahidul Haq, director Fahmida Begum spoke on the occasion.
The president said the FEAB welcomes fair competition with the foreign fabrics coming through proper channel but added that if proper action is not taken now, the industry would face huge loss in coming years which will also affect backward linkage industries.
The leaders also observed that Pahela Bashaikh has become gradually a celebration like many other new year's celebrations in the world contributing to the industry and country's economy significantly.
But they demanded support like allowing shops to remain open after 8pm, measures to ensure quality of products coming into the country competitive with the local industry.
The vice president said the fashion industry has the capacity to be a leading industry of the country and urged the government to provide support for developing linkage industries including handloom and raw materials to compete with the Indian and Pakistani fabrics.