BGMEA President Faruque Hassan has called on Primark to increase sourcing apparel, especially more diversified value-added products from Bangladesh. He also urged the globally renowned clothing brand to strengthen partnership with their suppliers in Bangladesh to produce more innovative high-end products. He requested Primark to build long-term partnership with their suppliers to support them in scaling up capacity in the area of sustainability in products and processes. Read more: BGMEA eyes expanding RMG exports to Japan The call was made when a delegation of Primark and Associated British Foods (ABF) met with BGMEA President Faruque Hassan at BGMEA Complex in Uttara, Dhaka Monday, according to a press release. The delegation included Paul Marchant, CEO, Primark, Paul Lister, Director of Legal Services and Company Secretary, ABF, Katharine Stewart, Group Corporate Responsibility Director, ABF, Steve Lawton, Primark Group Product Director, Jon Rolls, Group Director of Planning and Space, Emma Ormond, Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Primark, Matthew Rhodes, Head Of Sourcing Primark, and Filippo Poggi, Country Controller Bangladesh , Primark.

The commerce ministry has emphasised public-private partnership for product diversification along with the need to have skilled workers to face post-LDC graduation challenges. Commerce Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh stressed ensuring quality education, training, good health, and a sustainable working environment to have skilled workers, which is required to face the competition in the post-graduation era. He was speaking at a discussion organised by the Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institution (BFTI) in Dhaka Thursday. The BFTI is conducting research on the "identification of trade-related challenges and preparation of a sector-specific trade roadmap for overcoming the challenges." Four sectors – apparel, shipbuilding, agro, and food processing – along with fisheries and livestock are being specified in the roadmap for facing post-LDC graduation challenges. Read: Commerce Ministry to launch real time app for monitoring prices Export Promotion Bureau Chairman AHM Ahsan, WTO Cell Director General Md Hafijur Rahman, Dhaka University Chairman finance department Chairman M Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industries President Md Saiful Islam, and Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association Director Asif Ashraf were present at the meeting.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Thursday said the chances of Cabinet reshuffle before elections to the two Dhaka city corporations are slim.   “The Cabinet reshuffle is a routine work. And it’s under the Prime Minister’s jurisdiction. I don’t think there’ll be any expansion or reshuffle in the Cabinet before the city corporation polls,” he told reporters at the Secretariat.   The Awami League general secretary said the chances of reshuffle are “very low” but reiterated that the Prime Minister can make changes anytime.   Dhaka north and south city polls are scheduled for January 30.   Replying to a question, Quader, the number two man in the ruling party, said only the Prime Minister will decide who will stay in the Cabinet. “We’ll accept her decision. I’ll quit if (the Prime Minister) asks me to,” he said.   Asked about the report published in Sweden-based Bangla news portal Netra News on his seven luxury watches, the ruling party leader said party activists from abroad gifted him those.   “Activists gifted me these watches out of love. Someone brings coat-pins while someone suits. I didn’t buy anything,” he said.   The minister also claimed that he never sits with any contractor and the Prime Minister herself bears his election expenses.   According to the Netra report, each watch costs Tk 9 lakh to Tk 28 lakh.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday asked the country’s garment manufacturers to explore new markets and diversify their products considering the demand of fast-changing fashion and apparel designs in the international market.