Rangpur garments make way to Indian market
Sunday, 24 April 2011
Our Correspondent
RANGPUR, Apr 23: Garment products made in Rangpur are now being exported to India taking advantage of the South Asia Free Trade Area Agreement. Tariqul Islam, along with two of his friends Mominur Rahman and Barkutulla set up two small garments factories Rabbi-Rahim and Mouvasha Garments in Rangpur town in 2008. The factories initially supplied only to the local markets. The owners encouraged by the profit soon decided to overhaul the factories. Tariqul Islam told The Financial Express that they had the first export-oriented garments factory in the north, began production with 30 sewing machines. But with increased demand at home and abroad they set up more machineries and increased manpower. After the expansion they started searching for new markets and visited west Bengal of India where they signed a deal with Ma-Kalli trading of Shilliguri for four lakh pieces of readymade garments worth about Tk 2 core. Barkutulla said the importers of Shilliguri were very interested in buying pants and trousers. He said they sent them two consignments of four lakh pieces of the product in the last six month. The products got good response from the Indian importers, he said and added that another importer had already signed an agreement. Tariqul said the buyers preferred to import the product from Rangpur rather than from any other parts of their country as they found it cost effective due mainly to the proximity of Rangpur with Indian town. Kakoli Begum, (20) under Sadar upazilla told the FE that she had received a two-week training on sewing after joining the factory. Now she is a skilled worker and gets 2000 as salary per month. Former President of Rangpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mostafa Azad Chowdhury Babu said, "It is really laudable that Bangladeshi product is being exported to India" Barkutulla said, many of the local entrepreneurs showed interest in setting up small and mid-level garments factory. Government needs to support the enterprise as it has opened up a new dimension of business which will ultimately help to alleviate "Monga", the seasonal job crisis, in the north, he added.
RANGPUR, Apr 23: Garment products made in Rangpur are now being exported to India taking advantage of the South Asia Free Trade Area Agreement. Tariqul Islam, along with two of his friends Mominur Rahman and Barkutulla set up two small garments factories Rabbi-Rahim and Mouvasha Garments in Rangpur town in 2008. The factories initially supplied only to the local markets. The owners encouraged by the profit soon decided to overhaul the factories. Tariqul Islam told The Financial Express that they had the first export-oriented garments factory in the north, began production with 30 sewing machines. But with increased demand at home and abroad they set up more machineries and increased manpower. After the expansion they started searching for new markets and visited west Bengal of India where they signed a deal with Ma-Kalli trading of Shilliguri for four lakh pieces of readymade garments worth about Tk 2 core. Barkutulla said the importers of Shilliguri were very interested in buying pants and trousers. He said they sent them two consignments of four lakh pieces of the product in the last six month. The products got good response from the Indian importers, he said and added that another importer had already signed an agreement. Tariqul said the buyers preferred to import the product from Rangpur rather than from any other parts of their country as they found it cost effective due mainly to the proximity of Rangpur with Indian town. Kakoli Begum, (20) under Sadar upazilla told the FE that she had received a two-week training on sewing after joining the factory. Now she is a skilled worker and gets 2000 as salary per month. Former President of Rangpur Chamber of Commerce and Industry Mostafa Azad Chowdhury Babu said, "It is really laudable that Bangladeshi product is being exported to India" Barkutulla said, many of the local entrepreneurs showed interest in setting up small and mid-level garments factory. Government needs to support the enterprise as it has opened up a new dimension of business which will ultimately help to alleviate "Monga", the seasonal job crisis, in the north, he added.