Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan has said it is now time for them to leapfrog to the next level of growth as they have achieved a certain level of growth and momentum.

“Our progress and prospects have made us one of the most sustainable sourcing partners to the west and we have to work harder for safeguarding it,” he said.

The BGMEA chief made the remarks at a press conference while announcing that the 37th IAF World Fashion Convention will be held in Dhaka in November this year.

The International Apparel Federation (IAF) will host the Convention in collaboration with the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA).

Also read: Huawei Technologies willing to support RMG sector in renewable energy: BGMEA

The “Made in Bangladesh Week” will be held concurrently in Dhaka on November 12-18.

Secretary General of IAF Matthijs Crietee, BKMEA Vice President Fazlee Shamim Ehsan, BGMEA First Vice President Syed Nazrul Islam, Vice President Shahidullah Azim, Vice President (Finance) Khandoker Rafiqul Islam, Vice President Md. Nasir Uddin, Vice President Miran Ali, Vice President Rakibul Alam Chowdhury, Directors Barrister Shehrin Salam Oishee, Asif Ashraf, Md. Khosru Chowdhury, Inamul Haq Khan (Bablu), Barrister Vidiya Amrit Khan, Md. Imranur Rahman, and Neela Hosna Ara, BKMEA Vice President Md. Akhter Hossain Apurbo were present at the press conference which was moderated by BGMEA Director Mohiuddin Rubel.

They also unveiled the logos of the 37th IAF World Fashion Convention and the Made in Bangladesh Week.

The IAF convention will be a three-day event where in the first day, a board meeting of all the IAF Board of Directors will be held.

A daylong conference, to be participated by local and international speakers, will also be a part of this convention.

The speakers including brands, retailers, suppliers, industry leaders, and academic will shed lights on the current and future business trends, challenges, possible solutions, with an aim to make industry-wide efforts to create a better fashion industry for all.

The annual World Fashion Convention will bring together the IAF membership, including apparel industry associations representing 40 countries, leading brands and other stakeholders.

The convention will provide an opportunity for delegates and participants to network, to learn and to gain insights into the future direction of the industry.

The Made in Bangladesh Week”, which will be organized by BGMEA, aims to promote the apparel industry of Bangladesh locally and globally by showcasing the compelling stories of the ready-made garments sector, especially its impressive strides in the areas of workplace safety, environmental sustainability and workers’ wellbeing.

Alongside sketching the encouraging stories, the potential of Bangladesh’s RMG industry, its strengths, capabilities and future priorities to remain a preferred and competitive choice for global buyers will be highlighted among global stakeholders and audience.

Also read: Growing export-import creating demands for more containers: BGMEA

The weeklong event will include 37th IAF World Fashion Convention, 3rd Dhaka Apparel Summit,     Bangladesh Apparel Exposition, Denim Expo, award ceremonies like - Sustainable Fashion Award & Fashion Photography Award, Fashion & Cultural Festival and Global Launching of BGMEA Innovation Center. 

Faruque Hassan said, “The 37th IAF World Fashion Convention will play an important role in initiating a greater collaboration with key actors in the supply chain including buyers and suppliers and global stakeholders to ensure more sustainable manufacturing and sourcing.”

He said the “Made in Bangladesh Week” will provide a unique opportunity to showcase the impressive strides of Bangladesh’s RMG industry along with its continuous strive to pursue excellence in business capabilities to strengthen its standing as a safe, sustainable and competitive industry in the world.”

Secretary General of IAF Matthijs Crietee said, "Perhaps more than ever before garment manufacturers play a pivotal role in the industry transformation we all need. So on the international stage presented by the 37th IAF World Fashion Convention, the Bangladeshi apparel industry will show itself as a source of solutions to the industry’s current major challenges.”