rmg
BGMEA for faster, simplified customs bond services
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has urged the Customs Bond Commissionerate (CBC) to provide faster and more simplified services to the apparel industry.
The trade association also called for removing complexities in the inclusion of descriptions of raw materials and other related materials with their harmonised system codes in bond licences.
BGMEA President Faruque Hassan made the request during his meeting with CBC Commissioner (Dhaka South) Mohammad Ahsanul Haque, and CBC Commissioner (Dhaka North) Md Azizur Rahman in Dhaka Monday.
BGMEA Vice-President Shahidullah Azim was also present at the meeting.
The BGMEA leaders informed the CBC commissioners about the problems faced by the readymade garments (RMG) factories regarding customs bond-related services.
Read more: Can’t control global economy, but want to boost exports: BGMEA president
They sought cooperation from CBC to remove all obstacles in the customs bond-related issues.
Faruque said the RMG industry aims to increase its global market share in the coming days. "The sector needs faster services to reduce lead time and the cost incurred due to delayed services."
To seize the opportunities that lie ahead of the RMG industry, business procedures, especially customs and bond-related ones, should be made more simplified and quicker, he added.
The two commissioners assured the BGMEA leaders of their cooperation.
Read more: BGMEA wants increased police vigilance to stop RMG goods theft during transportation
BGMEA wants increased police vigilance to stop RMG goods theft during transportation
Law enforcement agencies need to increase vigilance on the highways to prevent the theft of RMG export goods, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has said.
BGMEA President Faruque Hassan said: "The RMG industry of Bangladesh has earned a global reputation as the safest and greenest industry in the world, and it's an achievement that we all have to retain."
Read: Bangladesh RMG industry emphasizes technologies to enhance competitiveness, transparency: BGMEA chief
Leaders of BGMEA and the Bangladesh Truck Covered Van Owners Association have underscored the need for concerted efforts of exporters, transport owners, police administration and other parties to prevent theft of apparel goods during transportation.
The call came from a meeting held between the two associations in Dhaka Monday.
BGMEA President Faruque Hassan, Vice-President Md Shahidullah Azim; Bangladesh Truck Covered Van Owners Association President Tofazzal Hossain Majumder, Executive President Syed Md Bakhtiar, and General Secretary Rustom Ali Khan were present at the meeting.
They sat together to discuss measures and ways to stop readymade garments (RMG) export goods theft on the Dhaka-Chattagram highway.
Read: BGMEA chief stresses nutritious diet for workers’ health, productivity
Apart from financial losses, stealing incidents put exporters in an embarrassing situation when such cases are detected after products reach buyers, the associations said.
Also, they urged all garment factories to keep the photos of drivers, helpers and travel documents, including licences of trucks and covered vans as a precautionary measure.
The BGMEA leaders urged the Bangladesh Truck Covered Van Owners Association to ensure that a GPS tracker is installed in all goods-laden cargo vans to stop stealing during transportation.
Bangladesh RMG industry emphasizes technologies to enhance competitiveness, transparency: BGMEA chief
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan on Sunday said Bangladesh’s RMG industry is increasingly putting emphasis on technological upgradation ranging from the manufacturing process to design development, productivity improvement, environmental sustainability, resource efficiency, quality enhancement to workers’ well-being.
“We are getting prepared to meet the challenges of the fourth industrial revolution, " he said.
The BGMEA chief said, "By embracing technological advances and developing the skills of workers, we aim to turn the challenges into opportunities as technological upgradation will contribute to enhancing our industry’s competitiveness in the coming days.”
Read more: Bangladesh preferred apparel sourcing destination globally for world-class safety: BGMEA
Kris Van Broekhoven, CEO of UK company -- ES3G Limited and Munawar Uddin, Bangladesh Country Manager on Sunday met BGMEA President Faruque Hassan at BGMEA Complex in Dhaka.
They discussed issues related to technological advances that have been shaping the fashion industry globally, especially how technology can help Bangladeshi garment factories to showcase their human rights credentials internationally.
Their discussion also covered ES3G’s technology that is already being deployed across garment factories in Bangladesh, bringing a new level of transparency to the industry.
Chair of BGMEA standing committee on press, publication and publicity Shovon Islam was also present at the meeting.
Kris Van Broekhoven, ES3G CEO said they are delighted that the BGMEA is keen support new technologies that increase transparency in worker rights.
Read more: BGMEA for ensuring workers' health, well-being for improving productivity
"Bangladesh has led the way with the Alliance, Accord and other initiatives, bringing a lot of investment in ESG to Bangladesh, which has the highest number of green garment factories in the world. With BGMEA’s help, our technology can support increased transparency and better communication of worker treatment to retail buyers and brands and their own customers online and in-store.”
Bangladesh preferred apparel sourcing destination globally for world-class safety: BGMEA
Bangladesh is a preferred destination of apparel sourcing among global buyers for its world-class workplace safety and environmental sustainability, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has said.
The exemplary strides made by the RMG industry of Bangladesh in workplace safety, sustainability and ensuring workers' well-being have boosted the confidence of brands and buyers, BGMEA President Faruque Hassan said.
He was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of the 8th International Fire, Safety and Security Expo 2022 organised by the Electronics Safety and Security Association of Bangladesh (ESSAB) at Bashundhara International Convention Center in Dhaka Thursday.
Read: BGMEA for ensuring workers' health, well-being for improving productivity
Planning Minister MA Mannan attended the inaugural ceremony as chief guest.
Faruque said: "To create awareness and culture of safety among the workers and employees, several training programmes on occupational safety and health and social dialogue and industrial relations were taken by the government of Bangladesh, the International Labour Organization, associations, brands and factories."
Read: BGMEA chief stresses nutritious diet for workers’ health, productivity
"As a result of all these initiatives and efforts, Bangladesh is today globally recognised as one of the safest apparel manufacturing countries. Also, to carry forward the progress made by the unilateral safety regimes and to establish national self-monitoring, the RMG Sustainability Council has been established."
Md Jasim Uddin, president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industries, Brigadier General Md Main Uddin, director general of Fire Service and Civil Defence, and Zahir Uddin Babar, president of ESSAB, also spoke at the event.
BGMEA chief stresses nutritious diet for workers’ health, productivity
BGMEA President Faruque Hassan on Tuesday underscored the need for comprehensive efforts and mass awareness to improve nutritional status of garment workers who are the driving force behind the RMG industry in Bangladesh.
“Inadequate nutrition, particularly among women, is one of the main reasons for worker inefficiency. Workers will be able to maintain good health and the energy to be as productive as the job required if nutritious and safe foods are ensured for them,” he said.
Faruque Hassan made the observations while speaking at a program organized by Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) and Auchan Foundation in Dhaka.
Read more: BGMEA chief for intensifying collaboration with S Africa to reap mutual benefits
Besides, not always the RMG workers have proper knowledge of which foods are good in terms of nutritional value, so awareness should be raised among them about nutritious foods and their benefits, he added.
“In addition to law mandatory CSR activities, many RMG factories in Bangladesh are taking praiseworthy initiatives for workers to ensure their well-being,” Faruque said in his speech.
One of such initiatives is fair price shop where daily commodities are sold at affordable prices, he said, adding that if workers could be made aware and encouraged to buy foods having nutritional value would be health beneficial for them.
Read more: Technological innovations crucial for competitiveness, sustainability of Bangladesh's industrialisation: BGMEA
Apart from initiatives of individual factories, a comprehensive approach needs to be taken by all the stakeholders of the garment sector for ensuring the proper nutrition of garment workers at affordable prices, Faruque remarked.
Md. Ehsan-E-Elahi, Secretary, Ministry of Labor and Employee; Khaled Mamun Chowdhury, ndc, Director General, Department of Labour; Mohammad Hatem, Executive President, BKMEA; Khandoker Rafiqul Islam, Vice President (Finance), BGMEA; Ms. Juliette Bataille, Project Manager, Auchan Foundation; Alain Reners, General Delegate, Auchan Foundation; and Dr. Rudaba Khondorker, Country Director, GAIN also spoke at the event.
Payments to 3,428 garment workers, families approved from Central Fund
A total of 3,428 workers employed in the 100% export-oriented garment industry, will receive their share of total pot of Tk 21.65 crore from a central fund formed under the Ministry of Labor and Employment.
The purpose of the fund is to compensate families of who died during their job, medical treatment to injured workers, and to reward meritorious children of apparel workers.
Read more: Bangladesh, India don’t compete with each other in garment sector, says BGMEA President
The list and funds were approved in the 18th board meeting of the Central Fund held this afternoon in the conference room of the ministry, chaired by State Minister Monnujan Sufian.
Among those listed for assistance, 495 workers of BGMEA and 241 workers of BKMEA will be given the assistance of Tk 14,66,50,000 due to death and permanent disability while 2040 workers of BGMEA and BKMEA will be given medical assistance of Tk 5,68,16,000.
Besides, Tk 1,30,40,000 taka will be given as educational assistance to 652 meritorious children of workers.
Read more: Bangladesh now has 176 green garment factories – highest in the world
According to the Bangladesh Labor Act, 0.03 percent of the value of exported goods is directly deposited into the Central Fund through Bangladesh Bank.
Among others, Md Ehsan Elahi, secretary of the ministry, Md Nasir Uddin Ahmed, inspector general of the department of inspection of factories and institutions, Molla Jalal Uddin, director general of the central fund, Mohammad Hatem, Executive President of BKMEA, were present at the meeting.
Textile Technology Business Center Inaugurated in Dhaka's Uttara
The Textile Technology Business Center (TTBC), a one-stop resource centre and knowledge hub for the textile industry, was inaugurated at BGMEA Complex in Dhaka Sunday.
TTBC has been established to address the critical need for a credible knowledge centre for the textile industry in association with the International Finance Corporation's (IFC) Partnership for Cleaner Textile programme, supported by Denmark and the Embassy of the Netherlands in Bangladesh.
Read: Netherlands, BGMEA discuss more collaboration in RMG
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan, Dutch Ambassador to Bangladesh Anne van Leeuwen, Danish Ambassador to Bangladesh Winne Estrup Petersen, and IFC Country Manager for Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal Martin Holtmann inaugurated TTBC at the Centre of Innovation, Efficiency and Occupational Safety and Health (CEOSH).
There is a need for reliable information on resource efficiency technologies and technology suppliers to increase the competitiveness of the textile sector in Bangladesh, and to transition towards complex manufacturing from the current business model which relies heavily on basic cotton items.
TTBC wants to serve as a "dedicated platform for knowledge exchange, access to specialised information on resource efficiency, and business-to-business linkages with local and international technology suppliers for the textile industry," BGMEA said.
Read: Two new RMG factories under BGMEA now green certified
Faruque said: "Bangladesh is strongly focusing on moving beyond basic items with high-value products while placing utmost importance on sustainability and innovation to maintain sustainable growth of the RMG industry."
Since sustainability can help the industry going forward, the Textile Technology Business Center as a knowledge hub for the industry will play a crucial role in this transformation, he added.
Anne van Leeuwen lauded the resilience of the RMG industry and stressed the importance of innovative endeavours such as the TTBC which will "contribute to making the industry competitive and sustainable in the post-LDC era."
Winne Estrup Petersen said sustainability must be in the DNA of any successful business and highlighted the role the public sector can play in the transformation from aid dependency to increasing trade.
Martin Holtmann highlighted the importance of producing high-value products for the sustained competitiveness of the RMG industry.
Netherlands, BGMEA discuss more collaboration in RMG
The Netherlands and the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) have discussed further collaboration for the development of Bangladesh's apparel industry.
Dutch Ambassador to Bangladesh Anne van Leeuwen paid a courtesy visit to BGMEA President Faruque Hassan Sunday.
Read: Two new RMG factories under BGMEA now green certified
They also discussed different issues facing the readymade garments (RMG) industry, including major challenges in the current context of the global market and economy which is badly impacted by the ongoing geopolitical tensions, especially the war between Russia and Ukraine.
Faruque informed the envoy about the future priorities of Bangladesh's RMG industry, including an increased emphasis on moving up the value chain with high-value products, productivity and efficiency improvement.
Read: Harmonious relations between workers, employers key to Bangladesh's RMG success: BGMEA
Anne van Leeuwen praised the progress made by Bangladesh's apparel industry and expressed interest in cooperation and collaboration for the development of the industry.
The envoy planted a sapling at the BGMEA premises as a token of his appreciation of BGMEA's endeavours to promote sustainability in the RMG industry of Bangladesh.
Two new RMG factories under BGMEA now green certified
Two new readymade garment (RMG) factories, operating under Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters’ Association (BGMEA), have received LEED certification (certificate for green factories) from United States Green Building Council (USGBC).
The green-certified factories are Barnali Collections Limited from Narayanganj, with 64 points out of 110, and Bangladesh Export Import Company Limited (Beximco) from Gazipur, with 85 points out of 110.
The information was made public on Saturday (November 19, 2022) by Md Mohiuddin Rubel, Director of BGMEA.
Read: Can’t control global economy, but want to boost exports: BGMEA president
“With two new factories getting LEED certification, the total number of green factories in the country now stands at 178. This achievement will help us in developing our brand image to the international buyers,” said Rubel, adding that 13 factories out of a total of 58 have already achieved platinum certifications this year.
Rubel added that green factories increase the confidence of the buyers to procure more RMG products from Bangladesh.
“At a time when our orders have decreased by 20-30 percent due to the ongoing global economic slowdown, the fact that we’ve been considered once again for the safest factories will boost our business. Besides, green factories consume less energy than the traditional factories, which is a must as the country struggles with energy supply to factories,” added Rubel.
Read More: BGMEA, Tonello to partner in promoting green technologies
Rubel further said the LEED certification will help Bangladesh’s RMG producers to compete in the global market and get the best prices.
PM opens ‘Made in Bangladesh Week-2022’
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday inaugurated “Made in Bangladesh Week 2022”. The event aims to showcase innovations in Bangladesh’s apparel sector to the world.
The week-long event with the theme “Care for Fashion” was opened at Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC) in Dhaka. It will continue till November 18, 2022.
Read more: Can’t control global economy, but want to boost exports: BGMEA president
Bangladesh Readymade Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has organised the event to enhance the market share of Bangladeshi apparel products in the global market.
More than 100 participants from overseas – foreign buyers and representatives – are also taking part in the weeklong event.
At the inaugural ceremony, the Prime Minister also unveiled the covers of books titled “The Untold Stories of Bangladesh RMG Industry: Economic, Social and Environmental Good Practices” and “Beauty of Bangladesh.”
BGMEA president Faruque Hassan delivered the welcome speech at the opening programme.
Read more: Harmonious relations between workers, employers key to Bangladesh's RMG success: BGMEA
Yesterday, while talking to media, the BGMEA president said, “We’ve had challenges. We have challenges. We need to move ahead overcoming the challenges,” he said.
He also said there will be no pressure on the forex reserves due to the mega event, but the event will help earn some foreign currency as many foreigners will be attending it.