A delegation from the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) led by President S. M. Mannan (Kochi), met with State Minister for Commerce Ahsanul Islam Titu MP at the secretariat.
The delegation included BGMEA Senior Vice President Khandoker Rafiqul Islam, Vice President (Finance) Md. Nasir Uddin, Vice President Abdullah Hil Rakib, Directors Md. Imranur Rahman, Mohammad Sohel Sadat, Md. Ashikur Rahman (Tuhin), Shams Mahmud, Md. Nurul Islam, Saifuddin Siddiquie Sagar, and Md. Rezaul Alam (Miru).
The delegation discussed crucial issues that the apparel industry is currently facing.
BGMEA President S. M. Mannan (Kochi) emphasised the adverse effects of ongoing geopolitical crises on international trade, noting that the apparel industry is currently going through a challenging period amid a global economic slowdown that has slowed consumer spending and decreased orders and exports of garments. Raising production costs makes the problems severe.
He stressed the need for policy support to promote industrial growth and sustainability in light of these challenges.
He underscored the significance of streamlining and accelerating corporate processes, especially the quicker unloading of imported raw materials, machinery, and equipment.
According to him, the export sector will succeed more when the business atmosphere in the country is more favourable, which would boost the nation’s economy as a whole.
To keep the industry competitive, the president of the BGMEA encouraged the Government to maintain favourable policies and a continuous supply of gas and electricity.
Many of the trade facilities that Bangladesh now uses after its LDC graduation in 2026 will no longer be available.
In this regard, he described it as a relevant strategy and underlined the need for the required legislative assistance to draw in more investment in promising industries.
In addition, he advocated for the Ministry of Commerce to take charge of food rationing for garment workers, stressing the need to safeguard the industry and increase exports to ensure overall economic growth.
