In a move aimed at gearing up for the Fourth Industrial Revolution, garment makers have entered into a strategic partnership with the National Productivity Organisation (NPO) to boost productivity and enhance the competitiveness of the country's top foreign currency earning sector.
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the NPO, which is under the Ministry of Industries, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Thursday, aiming to strengthen cooperation in boosting productivity, technological advancement, and competitiveness in Bangladesh's ready-made garment (RMG) sector, according to a statement.
BGMEA Director Joarder Mohammed Hosne Quamar Alam and NPO President Md Nurul Alam signed the MoU on behalf of their respective organisations at an event held at NPO on the day.
The partnership deal aims to prepare the RMG industry for Industry 4.0 transformation, focusing on developing skills and quality along with enhancement of capacity and cost competitiveness, added the statement.
Under the agreement, the BGMEA and NPO will jointly organise training programs, seminars, and provide consultancy services every year to help promote productivity and operational excellence through '5S, Kaizen, and Lean Manufacturing practices'. In addition to that, both the organisations will also select three RMG factories annually as 'model enterprises' to implement productivity enhancement pilot projects with technical support from the NPO. The MoU has also incorporated provisions for initiating joint research and collaboration on programs supported by the Asian Productivity Organization (APO), aiming to accelerate innovation and capacity building in Bangladesh's manufacturing sector.
Speaking at the MoU signing ceremony, representatives from the BGMEA emphasised the urgency of embracing Industry 4.0 amid global tariff shifts, technological disruptions, and evolving supply chain dynamics. "Bangladesh can no longer rely solely on cost advantage, we must focus on quality, skills, agility, and innovation to remain globally competitive," said BGMEA Director Mr Hosne Quamar Alam.
As per the MoU, the BGMEA and NPO will work together to ensure a justified transition towards smart manufacturing by integrating digital tools and productivity-driven innovation across the RMG value chain, it was learnt.
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