BGMEA
Bangladesh now safest, most transparent RMG maker in the world: BGMEA
Bangladesh has emerged as the safest and most transparent readymade garment (RMG) producer in the world, the apex trade body of the country's apparel industry said Saturday.
This achievement came as a result of the firm determination, efforts and investment of entrepreneurs along with the support of stakeholders, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan said.
The industry is committed to continuing the safety momentum, said the BGMEA chief.
A delegation of the Electronic Safety and Security Association of Bangladesh (ESSAB) led by its President Zahir Uddin Babar paid a courtesy visit to the BGMEA president at the latter's office in Gulshan recently and discussed the issues.
BGMEA Vice-President Shahidullah Azim was also present.
They had discussions about the current situation and different issues of the RMG industry – namely, its efforts and achievements in workplace safety over the past few years.
Faruque expressed hope that ESSAB would continue to play its role in cooperating with the industry in the area of workplace safety.
Factory committees: BGMEA, GIZ, Particip to work on participation, safety, anti-harassment
The Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), German international cooperation enterprise GIZ, and Particip GmbH (Particip) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen the capacity – participation, safety, anti-harassment – of factory committees of BGMEA member factories.
The MoU aims to enable these committees to build and maintain a healthy relationship among both workers and management representatives of each committee.
Under the agreement, the master trainers of the BGMEA who were provided with a five-day training of trainers training will train several factory committee members in the participating member factories to develop their capacities and function more effectively.
Also read: BGMEA urges BEZA to expedite garment village construction at Mirsarai
BGMEA President Faruque Hassan, Dr Michael Klode, GIZ project coordinator STILE, and Md Manjur Morshed, senior adviser at Particip GmbH, inked the agreement Thursday.
Faruque said: "It is hoped that this initiative will strengthen the capacity of workers and management representatives to make different committees more functional."
"The apparel industry of Bangladesh has made unprecedented efforts and progress in workplace safety, particularly in fire, electrical and structural integrity over the past eight years."
Also read: BGMEA discusses collaboration with DMCH on workers' healthcare
"Over these years massive training and awareness building initiatives were undertaken to create the culture of safety, which covered fire safety drills and other occupational safety and health issues, as well as social dialogue and industrial relations," the BGMEA president added.
Michael Klode said: "We are happy to work with BGMEA to address a range of factory committees to ensure better communication about social and environmental standards, also gender issues that lead to more efficiency and higher productivity."
BGMEA Directors Faisal Samad and Rajiv Chowdhury, former BGMEA director ANM Saifuddin, and GIZ Senior Adviser Sarwat Ahmad were also present at the MoU signing ceremony in the city.
Read BGMEA, Amfori intend to collaborate to pursue sustainability in RMG sector
Patenga Container Terminal set to open in June: CPA Chairman
The newly built Patenga Container Terminal (PCT) in Chattogram is set to start its operation in June, said Chattogram Port Authority Chairman Rear Admiral M Shahjahan.
“After the opening of the terminal, it’ll be possible to handle 145 million TEUS containers in a year,” he said.
Read: $58 million Patenga Container Terminal approved in principle
Shahjahan revealed the information while talking at a views-exchange meeting with Ambassador of the European Union (EU) to Bangladesh Charles Whiteley, Italian Ambassador to Bangladesh Enrico Nunziata and a BGMEA delegation at Chattogram Port Building on Sunday.
BGMEA urges BEZA to expedite garment village construction at Mirsarai
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has urged the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) to complete all construction works of the garment village at Bangabandhu Shilpa Nagar in Mirsarai, Chattogram in the quickest possible time to make it ready for setting up factories and start industrial operations. The call was made when a delegation of BGMEA led by President Faruque Hassan visited the garment village on Saturday to see the progress of construction of its infrastructure and facilities. The BGMEA delegation included First Vice President Syed Nazrul Islam, Vice President Shahidullah Azim, Vice President (Finance) Khandoker Rafiqul Islam, Vice President Md. Nasir Uddin, Vice President Rakibul Alam Chowdhury and Directors Md. M. Mohiuddin Chowdhury, A.M. Shafiul Karim (Khokon), Md. Hassan (Jacky), M. Ahsanul Hoq and Mohammed Meraj-E-Mostafa (Kaisar).
READ: Cleaner, greener production cannot come at free of cost: BGMEA chief
High officials of BEZA were also present on the occasion. They toured the site to observe the overall progress of the infrastructure and road construction, as well as gas, water, electricity connections, common effluent treatment plant (CETP) and other facilities. Welcoming the government initiative of establishing the garment village, BGMEA President Faruque Hassan said it would help exporters to set up more factories at a convenient place. He requested the BEZA to expedite the ongoing project works and get the plots fully ready for handover to the BGMEA members who are waiting to set up their garment factories inside the village. All facilities must be ensured so that garment factories can go into industrial operations smoothly, he said.
READ: BGMEA urges LGRD Ministry to repair roads in industrial areas Once the garment village is inaugurated and fully operational, it would create employment for a huge number of people and contribute to increasing the country’s earnings from RMG exports, Faruque Hassan further said. To establish a garment village on a 500-acre site in the industrial city, BGMEA signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with BEZA on 21 March 2018. The BEZA authority assured BGMEA of completing the garment village and handing over the plots in the shortest possible time.
BGMEA discusses collaboration with DMCH on workers' healthcare
A delegation of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) paid a courtesy visit to Brigadier General Md Nazmul Haque, director of Dhaka Medical College Hospital (DMCH), Monday.
They discussed how the BGMEA and DMCH can collaborate to ensure that garment workers and employees get healthcare services on a priority basis.
BGMEA President Faruque Hassan said the apex body of the apparel industry places utmost importance on ensuring healthcare facilities for the apparel workers.
The BGMEA runs 12 health centres that provide healthcare facilities and medicines to more than 60,000 garment workers per year free of cost.
The centres also conduct awareness programmes on HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, reproductive health and the use of contraceptives. Also, for the apparel workers, a full-fledged hospital is operational in Chattogram, Faruque said.
READ: Cleaner, greener production cannot come at free of cost: BGMEA chief
BGMEA vice-presidents Shahidullah Azim, Md Nasir Uddin; Assistant Director of DMCH Dr Md Ashraful Alam, and Associate Professor at DMCH Dr Md Imdadul Haque were present at the meeting.
READ: BGMEA urges LGRD Ministry to repair roads in industrial areas
Cleaner, greener production cannot come at free of cost: BGMEA chief
Cleaner and greener production cannot come at free of cost, Faruque Hassan, president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), said Sunday.
"There is a sharp disconnect between sustainability and pricing mechanisms. Supplying countries like Bangladesh have their challenges and constraints. So we need more strategic collaboration in this regard," he added.
Faruque was addressing the programme "Securing Green Transition of the Textile and Readymade Garments Sector in Bangladesh" organised by the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) in the city.
Also read: BGMEA urges LGRD Ministry to repair roads in industrial areas
"Environment sits at the top of our agenda at the BGMEA and the sector at large. Bangladesh has the highest number of LEED Green factories in the world, with 157 certified by the USGBC – 47 platinum rated, 96 gold rated," the BGMEA president said.
"These green factories are equipped with all the eco-friendly features and emit around 40 percent less carbon than a conventional factory. However, we need technical assistance with regard to access to technologies, and building capacity of our human resources to embrace the green technologies and processes."
Saber Hossain Chowdhury, member of parliament and chairman of the Standing Committee on Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, attended the programme as chief guest.
Christine Johansson, deputy head of mission and head of development co-operation at the Embassy of Sweden, also spoke while the programme was moderated by CPD Executive Director Dr Fahmida Khatun.
Also read: BGMEA seeks govt support in addressing RMG sector’s challenges
Mohammad Hatem, executive president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Shams Mahmud, former president of the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry and managing director of Shasha Denims, Md Fazlul Hoque, managing director of Plummy Fashions and former president of the Bangladesh Employers' Federation, also spoke.
BGMEA urges LGRD Ministry to repair roads in industrial areas
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan has urged the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives to take immediate steps for repairing all the roads in major industrial areas.
He made the request during a meeting with LGRD and Co-operatives Minister Md Tazul Islam MP at the secretariat on Thursday. BGMEA First Vice President Syed Nazrul Islam, Vice President Shahidullah Azim and Vice President Md. Nasir Uddin also attended the meeting.
Read: Govt allows Bangladeshi companies to make overseas equity investment
The BGMEA leaders said Gazipur, Chattogram, Narayganj, Savar, Ashulia and Mawna are the industrial hubs of Bangladesh where hundreds of industries including export-oriented garment factories are situated. But severe traffic jams due to damaged roads in the areas are causing immense sufferings for regular commuters including workers, employees and entrepreneurs every day and badly impacting the apparel and textile sector and other industries, they said. Transportation of raw materials and finished goods are seriously disrupted as goods-laden vehicles have to wait long hours on the dilapidated roads, they said.While nagging traffic jams take up from the valuable lead-time, extra hours in transportation is adding to production cost. Moreover, buyers and their representatives often show their unwillingness to travel to factories because of shabby road conditions, which is not good for the country’s image. The BGMEA leaders requested the LGRD Minister to take measures for repairing all the roads in the industrial areas in the quickest possible time to ensure smooth vehicular and passenger movement on the roads.
Read: Japanese economic zone to go into production in 2023: Envoy They also apprised the LGRD Minister of the problems being faced by garment exporters in cases of issuance and renewal of trade licenses particularly in Gazipur City Corporation. The garment factories are facing difficulties in renewing their trade licenses after the Gazipur City Corporation added the condition of paying holding tax before license renewal. The BGMEA President urged the Minister to take measures to address the issues.
BGMEA seeks govt support in addressing RMG sector’s challenges
Leaders of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) have sought government support in addressing RMG sector’s challenges.
Leaders of BGMEA headed by President Faruque Hassan met with M. Tofazzel Hossain Miah, Senior Secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office in Dhaka on Sunday and discussed the relevant issues, said the apex body of the apparel sector on Monday.
BGMEA Vice Presidents Shahidullah Azim, Khandoker Rafiqul Islam and Md. Nasir Uddin were present at the meeting.
They apprised the senior secretary about the present business situation and challenges being faced particularly by the RMG industry in Bangladesh and possible course of actions to deal with the challenges.
Faruque Hassan especially drew the attention to the issues and problems which are being faced by the garment industry.
READ: 6th BGMEA Cup begins on Jan 20
He said the apparel industry of Bangladesh is passing a very important period when many challenges are on one side and enormous opportunities on the other side.
He urged for government initiatives and effective actions in tackling the challenges and making use of the opportunities.
The BGMEA leaders also requested for government steps to further improve ease of doing business, especially addressing the bottlenecks, reducing time, process and cost in all criteria of the doing business.
READ: It's high time to focus more on value-added, high-end apparels: BGMEA
The senior secretary listened to the BGMEA leaders and assured of cooperation and support in dealing with the issues and problems.
6th BGMEA Cup begins on Jan 20
The 6th edition of the inter-garments football tournament "BGMEA Cup" will begin on January 20 in Dhaka's Uttara.
Mid and upper management of 16 garment factories will compete in the eight-a-side tournament.
The companies are Fakir Fashions, Team Group, Babylon Group, Epyllion Group, Setara Group, Sayem Group, Mosharaf Apparels Studio, Snowtex Outerwear, Laila Group, Apparels Village, Comfit by Youth Group, Sterling Group, Apparel Industry, Torque Fashions, Tusuka Group and Bando Design.
The 16 teams will be divided into four groups and the group stage matches will be played at Uttara Sector 4 Kalyan Samiti field.
Read: Bangamata Football: Rajshahi clinch title beating Mymensingh 2-0
The final match of the football tournament will be held at the Army Stadium.
The BGMEA Cup 2022 player auction was held at Uttara Club in Dhaka Friday. The tournament trophy was also unveiled there.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan joined the auction event as chief guest.
Rahbar Khan Sharan, who played in the fifth edition of the BGMEA Cup in 2020, earned a call-up to the national team in 2021. He was honoured by the BGMEA president at the auction event.
BGMEA vice-presidents Khandoker Rafiqul Islam, Md Nasir Uddin; directors Abdullah Hil Rakib, Md Imranur Rahman, Giant Group Director Sharmeen Hassan Tithi, Uttara Club President Feroz Alam, garment entrepreneurs, players and representatives of sponsors were also present at the programme.
The tournament is powered by Sheltech Ceramics. ABA Group, the BGMEA University of Fashion and Technology, Twelve Clothing, Urmi Group, Four H Group and Epic Group are co-sponsors. T Sports is the broadcast partner.
It's high time to focus more on value-added, high-end apparels: BGMEA
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has called on the country's apparel exporters to focus more on value-added, high-end apparel items as their demand is high in the global market.
"The demand for man-made fibre (MMF)-based garment items is on the rise in the global market. So it is high time we shifted our focus to non-cotton-based textile and apparel to realign our product mix in line with global sourcing trends," BGMEA President Faruque Hassan said Thursday.
"Globally the share of cotton textile and clothing consumption is 25 percent only, whereas 75 percent of Bangladesh's readymade garment (RMG) product is concentrated within cotton items," he added.
Read: Vulnerability in trading system needs to be addressed pragmatically: BGMEA President
"The growing eco-consciousness and care for sustainability are driving consumers towards non-cotton, especially manmade fibres. So we have to keep ourselves aligned with the market demand."
"It is good to see that our garment factories are increasingly opting for high-end and value-added products. More and more factories should move in this direction to seize the opportunities in the global market," the BGMEA chief said.
He made the observations while visiting 4A Yarn Dyeing in Savar.
Abdullah Hil Rakib, managing director of 4A Yarn Dyeing and also a director of the BGMEA, was present.
Read: Bangladesh’s next development phase to depend hugely on industrialisation: BGMEA
High-end apparel items like padded jacket, quilted jacket, seam-sealed jacket, down jacket, bomber jacket, ski-wear, jogging suit, rainwear, gilet, leather jacket, workwear, technical apparels are produced and exported by 4A Yarn Dyeing.
The factory is equipped with modern and sophisticated automatic machinery and has a design studio for product innovation and development.