Sustaining garment growth to hinge on R&D, innovation

Speakers at a programme on Wednesday laid emphasis on creating strong forward linkage, especially in market-research to sustain the apparel sector's growth rate at an expected level.
They also said conducting in-depth research, product diversification and adopting latest industrial technology are also essential for achieving the $50 billion exports target.
The opinions came at the opening ceremony of the '13th Dhaka International Yarn and Fabric Show 2018 -Winter Edition' at International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) in Dhaka.
Industries minister Amir Hossain Amu inaugurated the fair as the chief guest.
Chinese Charge d'Affaires in Bangladesh Chen Wei, Senior Vice President of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Faruque Hassan, First Vice President of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) Mansoor Ahmed, and President of Centre of Excellence for Bangladesh Apparel Industry Md Atiqul Islam also attended the ceremony among others.
Conference and Exhibitions Management Services (CEMS) Global and China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT TEX) jointly organised the expo.
Two other concurrent exhibitions titled '2nd Dhaka Denim Show 2018 Winter Edition International Expo' and '30th Dye+Chem Bangladesh 2018-Winter Edition' are also taking place at the same venue.
Speaking on the occasion, industries minister said readymade garment was the leading industrial sector in the country.
Bangladesh receives more than 80 per cent of its export earnings from the garment, he said.
Trade fairs on yarn, fabric, denim, dyes and chemicals would help the sector grow, he added.
Atiqul Islam said that the country's apparel sector has achieved its current position after overcoming many challenges.
"At present, we have enough backward linkage for the sector, but we need to focus on creating better forward linkage to sustain our growth," he said.
No one can sustain in the present competitive world without research and innovation, he said.
"We have to take all-out preparation for the future as we don't know what is going to happen in the coming days," he said.
A total of 350 organisations from 21 countries including host Bangladesh, China, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, India, Taiwan and Vietnam are participating in the trade shows.
They are showcasing various types of products and services including yarn, denim, knitted fabrics, fleece, artificial leather, button and zipper.
The trade shows are open from 10.30 am to 7.30 pm for the visitors upon on-spot or pre-registration at www.e-registrations.com, organisers said.

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