RMG exports to Japan surge
September 5, 2010
Hasan Shibli, director of marketing at Base Textiles Ltd, was at his keyboard Wednesday in his meticulously neat office, primly typing in English to a new client despite the tiny beads of sweat forming at the edge of his grey-tinged but full head of hair.
Business heroes honoured
April 21, 2010
An award is not just a trophy. It means recognition of innovations, an inspiration that will make some local businesses confident to compete with global giants. So said the winners of Bangladesh Business Awards 2009, given by The Daily Star and DHL Express yesterday. Read more
EPZ and export market diversification
April 6, 2010
Should firms in export processing zones (EPZs) be allowed to sell their products in the domestic market on a limited basis?
Garment exports to Japan double
April 2, 2010
Workers pass a busy day at a production line in a garment factory. RMG shipments to Japan more than doubled in the immediate-past fiscal year as China is losing its edge in the Asian giant’s market.Photo: STAR
RMG exporters bag $1.8m orders from US show
March 25, 2010
Bangladesh garments and knitwear manufacturers and exporters got export orders of around $107.96 million with instant confirmed order of $26.81 million in a show in USA.
The three-day Men’s Apparel Guild in California (MAGIC) show concluded in Las Vegas, the biggest city of Nevada, USA on February 18.
The MAGIC is the largest trade show in North America, which offers two shows annually — one in February and the other one on August 16-19.
Under the supervision of Export Promotion Bureau, 23 exhibitors from Bangladesh participated in the show.
Bangladesh’s consul general in Los Angeles met officials of the MAGIC authority and requested them to arrange a wide publicity of Bangladeshi exhibitors with their products and company information.
The consul general visited all 23 stalls and exchanged views with them and discussed about ways and means for greater participations of Bangladesh in the next MAGIC show.
Source: http://www.thedailystar.net
It’s high time to export quality products at cheaper price
February 9, 2010
Bangladesh can take advantage of the global recession to export quality products at cheaper prices, Dilip Barua said Thursday.
“We are able to manufacture high standard products at low cost by training our workers,” Industry Minister Dilip Barua said.
The government has formulated an industrial policy giving priority to private entrepreneurs and assistance for setting industrial units, he added.
He was speaking as chief guest at a function held in the city to award 39 industrialists the status of Commercially Important Person (CIP) for 2009 in recognition of their contribution to their respective fields.
The minister called upon the awardees to utilise their skill and experience in the industrialisation process playing the role model for the country’s entrepreneurs.
Of the 39 CIPs, seven members were selected from National Council for Industrial Development (NCID), twenty two under the large-scale industry category and nine from the medium-scale industry category and one from the small-scale industry category.
The seven NCID members are Annisul Huq, president of Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), Waliur Rahman Bhuiyan, president of Foreign Investors’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), Shahedul Islam, president of Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI), Mirza Nurul Ghani Shovon, National Association of Small and Cottage Industries (NASCIB), Abdul Hai Sarker, president of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), Nazmul Hoque, president of Bangladesh Jute Mills Association (BJMA) and Kamran T Rahman, president of Bangladesh Employers Federation (BEF).
The 22 industrialists selected under the large-scale industry category are KM Rezaul Hasnat, managing director (MD) of M/S Viyellatex Ltd, Begum Rupali Chowdhury, MD of Berger Paints Bangladesh Ltd, Abdus Salam Murshedy, MD of Manta Apparels Ltd, Mia Md Abdus Salam, MD of Salam Seafoods Ltd, Arif Dowla, MD of Advanced Chemical Industries Ltd, Ahsan Kabir Khan, MD of Interfab Shirt Manufacturing Ltd, Kutub Uddin Ahmed, chairman of Envoy Group, Salim Ahmed, MD of Super Refinery (Pvt) Ltd, Shibli Mirza, MD of Al-Amin Bengal Industries Ltd College, Mahbub Jamil, MD of Singer Bangladesh Ltd and Ahsan Khan Chowdhury, MD of Pran Agro Ltd. Md Touhidur Rahman, MD of Fresh Foods Ltd, Abdul Hoque, chairman of Royal Green Products Ltd, Ali Hossain Akbar Ali, MD of Bangladesh Steel Re-Rolling Mills Ltd, Mohammad Athar Uddin, chairman of Azmat Fashions Ltd, Dipak Bhoumik, chairman of Landmark Fabrics Ltd, Md Majibor Rahman, MD of BRB Polymar Ltd, Yesmin Khan, chairman of Minhar Fisheries Ltd, Amzad Khan Chowdhury, MD of Agricultural Marketing Company Ltd, Anwar-ul-Alam Chowdhury, MD of Evins Group, Mohammad Anwarul Azim, MD of ABM Apparels Ltd and Mahidul Islam Khan, MD of M/S Sitavel Apparels Ltd are also selected in this category.
CIP’s selected under the medium-scale industries are Abdur Razzak Sattar, MD of UTA Group of Companies, Iqbal Ahmed, MD of Seamark (BD) Ltd, Khatib Abdul Zahid Mukul, MD of M/S Zahintex Industries Ltd, Mosharraf Hossain, chairman of Sonargaon Dying and Printing Ltd, Enamul Hoque Khan, MD of Annanta Garments Ltd, MA Jalil, MD of AJI Apparels Industry Ltd, Habib Ullah Khan, MD of Minhar Sea Foods Ltd, Begum Shahana Sultana, director of International Shrimps Export Pvt Ltd and Rezaul Hoque, MD of Modern Sea Food Industries Ltd.
Managing director of Logos Apparel Ltd Amir Hamza Sarkar was selected as CIP under the small- scale industries category.
The CIP (Industry) cards will be considered as entry passes in the secretariat. The cardholders will be invited to national programmes as well as to civic receptions hosted by city corporations.
The CIPs will enjoy preference when it comes to booking seats in public transports for business tours.
They will also be able to enjoy the facilities of VIP Lounge-2 at airports during their travel.
Five local sweater manufacturers chosen to produce ‘Merino Wool’
July 7, 2009
Five leading Bangladeshi sweater manufacturers have been chosen to produce world class ‘Merino Wool,’ a highly value added woollen product, on behalf of Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) company, source said.
The SQ Group, Designtex Sweaters Limited, Meditex Industry Limited, Moni Fashion Limited and Pandora Sweaters Limited were selected by the well known AWI Company to produce Merino Wool, which would be displayed in international fashion shows and trade shows all over the world.
“This is a life time opportunity for our garments makers,” Golam Faruq chairman of SQ Group told the FE.
It is the first time, our garments would explore the opportunity to enter into such a high-end production, considered as the highest value added garment production all over the world, he added.
This is an initiative undertaken by the AWI Company which is responsible to promote Australian wools globally. They have selected five companies from Bangladesh for manufacturing their products, under strict quality controlled environment, said the SQ Group Chairman.
“AWI has planned to take part in number of international fashion shows in USA, EU, China and other parts of the world, in order to promote Australian wools, promoting Bangladeshi garments manufacturers alone,” he added.
This opportunity would help Bangladeshi garment makers achieve global reputation as a high value added woollen producing country which is otherwise popularly known for its low value added products, Senthil, head of Marketing of the SQ Group told the FE.
Bangladesh with GSP advantage and cheap but skilled RMG work force is very attractive for the high value added garment producers, like the Merino Wool. It is a perfect opportunity for us to promote our skills and potentials, said Mr Senthil, a Sri Lankan national.
“Globally reputed Australian Wool Innovation (AWI) has the access to enter and show case their products in platforms that we can’t even dream of. Being projected as AWI product manufacturer, we are going to get the same exposure,” he added.
This would attract other high value added garment makers to invest in Bangladesh, he said.
Regarding the technological ability of Bangladeshi sweater industries, he said, “Production of traditional sweaters and Merino Wool are very similar. We just have to ensure special production environment and washing mechanism.”
“AWI will provide us adequate technology and training to obtain Woolmark-license for this particular production,” Mr Senthil said.
We are expecting to go into production within a months time, he expected.
Footwear a bright spot in dim exports
May 25, 2009
Local leather footwear manufacturers see a better prospect ahead, after an increase in exports by 39 percent in the July-November period of the current fiscal year, which pins a hope of overcoming losses from declining leather exports in the recent months. During the period export earnings from locally made footwear stood at around $85 million, which is a rise from $61 million in the same period of the last fiscal year, according to Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) statistics. Read more
Footwear exports buoyant
May 10, 2009
Footwear exports have marked a 20 percent rise during July-March this fiscal year, Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) statistics show. The country fetched $144.69 million from exports of the item in nine months, a sharp rise from $131.52 million in the July-February period. However, the industry leaders warned that this growth in value added leather products might not sustain, as the global financial meltdown has affected the demand for leather and leather goods in international markets. Read more
Marked fall in RMG export orders
May 6, 2009
The country’s garment manufacturers said Monday that orders from foreign buyers for Bangladeshi garments dropped significantly over the past four months due to impact of global economic recession. Utilisation declaration (UD), issued by BGMEA against export orders fell by 4.11 per cent in April over the same period in 2008. It was 18. 67 million dozens in April this year against 19.83 million dozens in April in 2008, according Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) statistics, Read more