The rich culture and heritage of Bangladesh needs to be promoted globally to boost the brand image of the country internationally, said the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Friday.

"The deeply rooted heritage of Bangladesh is reflected in our architecture, literature, music, painting and clothing. Promoting our culture and heritage will help create a distinct identity of Bangladesh and a positive brand image will provide a vital competitive advantage in the globalised economy," BGMEA President Faruque Hassan said while speaking at a discussion on the role of technologies in preserving heritage.

SME Foundation and the Association of Fashion Designers of Bangladesh (AFDB) with the support of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs jointly organised the event on the occasion of the "Heritage Handloom Festival 2022" that started in Dhaka.

The festival is showcasing different handloom products for local and foreign visitors along with items produced by the indigenous communities of Bangladesh.

Posts and Telecommunications Minister Mustafa Jabbar attended the discussion as the chief guest.

AFDB President Mantasha Ahmed also spoke at the programme which was presided over by Chairperson of SME Foundation Dr Md Masudur Rahman.

Faruque Hassan said Muslin, Jamdani and other handloom sarees like Taant, Khadi, Motka, Muga, Tassar, Manipuri bear an iconic image of Bangladeshi culture and tradition.

"We have to explore the opportunity of exporting Bangladeshi apparel by linking our rich culture and heritage with fashion."

"If we can reach the global consumers, including a huge number of Bangladeshi people living abroad, with these apparel, it will help make Bangladesh's tradition well-known in the international arena and pave the way for the export of our rich culture," the BGMEA president.