The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has introduced a modern digital x-ray machine to BGMEA Hospital in Chattogram. The initiative aims to provide better medical services to garment workers free of cost. Underprivileged people will also have access to the facilities at a subsidised rate. BGMEA President Faruque Hassan inaugurated the machine service at the hospital. BGMEA First Vice-President Syed Nazrul Islam, Vice-President Rakibul Alam Chowdhury; directors Shafiul Karim (Khokon), M Ahsanul Hoq, and Director-in-Charge of the hospital Mohammed Meraj-E-Mostafa (Kaisar) and former directors were present on the occasion Monday. Read more: BGMEA for easy financing for SMEs in sustainability The digital x-ray machine has advanced features that will enable healthcare professionals at the BGMEA hospital to accurately diagnose the health conditions of the patients. BGMEA President Faruque Hassan said: "It's a high priority of the BGMEA to improve the health and well-being of garment workers who are the main driving force behind the RMG industry." BGMEA runs 10 health centres that provide healthcare facilities and medicines to garment workers free of cost while a full-fledged hospital is operational for workers in Chattogram, he said.    

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has signed an agreement with LightCastle Partners for conducting a feasibility study on “Establishing a Virtual Marketplace Platform for the RMG sector”. The study will analyze the gaps in policies, market potential and readiness of the sector, and include a suitable business model and an action plan to implement operations.  Also read: BGMEA claiming 100 percent salaries, bonuses paid to RMG workforce Faruque Hassan, President of BGMEA said revolution in digital technologies has led notable changes in business landscape, creating new trends and opportunities, especially rapid rise in online marketplace.  "Companies have been increasingly going online with advancement of digital technologies and the Covid-19 accelerated the pace of digital transformation, leading to a boom in the digital and e-commerce sectors," he said.  Adaption to the changing trade is the key to sustain and seize new opportunities, said the BGMEA chief.  Developing a virtual market platform will boost sales of the RMG sector and rebound from the effects of the pandemic. Also read: Bangladesh to retain fame as safe, sustainable apparel sourcing destination: BGMEA "This study will help to identify the challenges and opportunities of the sector to establish an online marketplace.” Zahedul Amin, Co-founder & Director, LightCastle Partners, said Bangladesh’s apparel sector must retain its competitiveness advantage by harnessing technology driven market development, in order to leap frog ahead of its competitors. The key officials from LightCastle Partners Ivdad Ahmed Khan Mojlish, Managing Director, Zahedul Amin, Co-founder and Director and Rafayet Khan, Business Consultant were present during the agreement signing.  The study will be funded by IFC’s Partnership for Cleaner Textile (PaCT II) program, supported by the government of Denmark through the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) and the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Bangladesh. 

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan has requested the Ministry of Labour and Employment to consider ways of how the central fund could be effectively used to ensure more welfare of garment workers. Leaders of BGMEA led by President Faruque Hassan met  Ehsan-E-Elahi, secretary, the Ministry of Labour and Employment at the secretariat on Tuesday and discussed relevant issues. Read:BGMEA urges govt to speed up airport dev projects BGMEA Vice President Shahidullah Azim and Vice President Miran Ali were also present at the meeting. They had discussion on the overall situation of the RMG industry including workplace safety, workers’ welfare and skills development. The BGMEA leaders thanked the government for providing support in carrying out skills development programs for the RMG industry. Read: BGMEA calls for urgently fixing inoperative scanners at airport They also stressed on the need for taking more initiatives to equip garment workers and employees with re-skilling, upskilling and knowledge to cope up with changing trends in the global apparel industry, especially brought by the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR).

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan on Tuesday said Bangladesh can add at least US$ 2 billion in its export earnings annually by grabbing the growing global market of man-made fibre (MMF) textiles. “There’s huge opportunity. Market is there. If we can grab the opportunity, we can add additional exports worth US$ 2 billionat least,” he told a small group of reporters at his office in the city. The chief of the country’s apparel sector’s apex body reiterated its request to the government to provide a 10 percent cash incentive for non-cotton based garment exports for a certain period so that Bangladesh remains competitive in the global market. Faruque said such efforts will help create employment and boost investment in the sector contributing to the overall economy of the country.  Read:BGMEA seeks central bank support for RMG sector to address pandemic challenges He said the demand for man-made fibre (MMF) textiles all over the world is on the rise with annual growth of 3 to 4 percent as a substitute for cotton amid changes in global fashion trends. Currently MMF dominates global textile fibre consumption with around 75 percent non-cotton fibre (64 percent MMF) while the cotton share is only 25 percent. The share of MMF has been steadily increasing due to the inherent limitations of growth of cotton and other natural items. The BGMEA President said they did not ask for reduction of any tax this time but only wanted continuation of those facilities that are already in place. He said MMF-based textile trade volume stood US$ 150 billion in 2017 while Bangladesh’s share was only 5 against Bangladesh’s competitor Vietnam’s share of 10 percent. The BGMEA President said though there was investment in the non-cotton or MMF sector in the past, it was mainly capital investment and technology-based investment. He said it will encourage investment and exports in the non-cotton sector if 10 percent incentive is given on export of non-cotton products. Faruque said they did not see that much investment in the sector in the last couple of years which is required for employment generation. Read:BGMEA wants continuation of 0.5 per cent source tax

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), in association with Diabetic Association of Bangladesh (DAB), has recently taken initiatives to establish some technologically advanced labs with  PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) machines required to test for COVID-19  in Chandra, Tongi and Narayanganj.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on Tuesday said steps have been taken so that garment workers cannot enter Dhaka from outside as RMG factories will be operated on a limited scale with workers staying in Dhaka now.

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) wants to export personal protective equipment (PPE)  meeting domestic  demand as their demand is growing across the globe amid coronavirus pandemic.

As the government has shut down educational institutions after the confirmation of local transmission of coronavirus cases to prevent the virus from spreading, experts say attention should also be given to the labour-intensive apparel sector.

International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, has developed Partnership for Cleaner Textile (PaCT) web portal to calculate the resource consumption in the country’s readymade garments industry.