Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday asked the garment makers to explore new markets and diversify their products to keep pace with the changing fashion and designs of the apparel items in the international markets. “We’ve to pay utmost attention to diversification of products in the export basket. In case of apparel, (the demand of) everything, including design and colour, is also always changing in the course of time,” she said. The premier spoke while addressing a programme of the National Textile Day-2019 and inauguration of the multipurpose textiles fair at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in Dhaka. Although the design and colour of garments depend on the demand of the buyers, Bangladesh should have an own initiative to search new markets and know the demand of fashion and design of apparel items in the markets, she said. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina handing BGMEA President Rubana Huq a crest for her extraordinary contribution to the country’s garment sector during an event yesterday at the capital’s Bangabandhu International Conference Center.“I think it is essential to diversify our production keeping consistency with these.” She said the manufacturers should have short-, mid- and long-term plans in this regard. “I hope you will prepare and adopt such plans. We’ll extend all sorts of cooperation,” she went on. Noting that Bangladesh sells garment items at very low prices, the prime minister urged the businessmen to take initiative so that international buyers increase the prices, at least to some extent. “If the buyers increase the price of every cloth by $1, we could develop this sector further,” she said adding that she raises the issue of paying more to Bangladeshi garments during her visits to different countries. The gross domestic product (GDP) has increased to $302 billion from $102 billion in 2009, while the export volume reached $46.53 billion in fiscal 2018-19, three times higher than that of fiscal 2005-06, the PM said. The per capita income has now increased to $1,909, she said, adding that the government has been able to increase the GDP growth to 8.15 percent while keeping the inflation rate within 5 percent. Hasina said her government has been promoting the private sector. Since 2009, the private investment has grown five times to $70.8 billion and the foreign currency reserve nine times to $33 billion. The minimum wage of garment workers has been raised to Tk 8,000 now, which was only Tk 1,600 in 2009. She said the government is giving importance to the development handloom industry as the government has undertaken a good number of measures for the development of the weavers. Later, Hasina opened the multipurpose textiles fair where nine organisations were honoured with crests for their contribution to the development of the country’s textile sector. They were: Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Bangladesh Textile Mills Association, Bangladesh Garment Buying House Association, Bangladesh Specialised Textile Mills & Powerloom Industries Association, Bangladesh University of Textiles, Bangladesh Cotton Association and National Crafts Council of Bangladesh. Textiles and Jute Minister Golam Dastigir Gazi presided over the function, while Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi, State Minister for Labour and Employment Begum Monnujan Sufian and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Textiles and Jute Ministry Mirza Azam spoke on the occasion. Textiles and Jute Secretary Lokman Hossain Miah delivered the welcome speech. Though the national textiles day was observed for the first time in the country on December 4 last, its main programme was arranged yesterday.
Source – The Daily Star.
