Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, textile manufacturers in Bangladesh have, reportedly, witnessed a 20 per cent increase in demand, with the demand expected to rise further, subsequent to the pandemic giving rise to a host of issues including rise in freight charge amidst unavailability of containers, increased prices of fabrics abroad and delays in receiving imported raw materials.

Speaking to the media to explain how the pandemic has turned things around for the country’s primary textile sector, Khorshed Alam, owner of Little Star Spinning Mill, reportedly, stated that some apparel makers, mostly the big one, never purchased fabrics locally earlier.

However, higher prices of fabrics in the importing countries along with unavailability of containers have, reportedly, led them (big manufacturers) to look for local sources for fabrics.

Sourcing fabrics from the local market is more convenient and hassle-free, reportedly, underlined the Managing Director of Classic Fashion Concept, Shahiduallah Azim, while adding that as it brings down lead time and cost of business, garment makers are buying more from the local fabric makers now.

Even though the prices of fabrics have gone up in Bangladesh as well, but in comparison it is still, reportedly, lower than elsewhere even as garment makers claimed that the price of fabric went up by at least US $ 1 a yard, while the freight charge has gone up to US $ 3,000 from that of US $ 900 a container.