Improve apparel quality to match global trend
UNB, Dhaka
Prime Minister Khaleda Zia on Thursday asked apparel exporters to continuously improve quality, fashion and design of their products matching the trend of the fast-moving world and competitive international market."Quality has to be improved continuously and the fashion and designs developed to meet the changing global trend," she told the leaders of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA). Khaleda was talking to the newly elected executive committee members of the BKMEA when they called on her. A 23-member delegation of the association was led by its President Fazlul Huq. Textiles Minister Abdul Matin Chowdhury, Commerce Minister Altaf Hossain Choudhury, prime minister's political secretaries Harris Chowdhury and Mosaddek Ali were present at the meeting. At the meeting, the BKMEA members lauded the role of the government for its various measures to develop and provide thrust to the knitwear sector, and hoped that the support would continue. The association expressed gratitude to the government for forming the National Coordination Council, which it said, demonstrates the government's keenness for developing the garment and knitwear sector. The exporters sought scope for making their recommendations and their problems being heard by the council. Pointing to the contribution of the knitwear sector to the country's economy, the BKMEA members pointed out that 73 percent value addition to knitwear is the highest among the categories of readymade garments. More than 1,000 knitwear units employ about 7 lakh workers, most of them are women. Joining of 10 more countries in the European Union and the quota-free access to Canada will enhance the market share of Bangladeshi knitwear in the western world, the exporters pointed out, playing down concerns about the post-MFA era. The association sought prime minister's assistance in obtaining yarn at cheaper prices and getting 10 percent cash incentives for the apparel exporters. The BKMEA invited the prime minister to inaugurate the planned International Knitwear Fair 2004 to be held in Dhaka in September. She agreed. Assuring all-out support of her government in fulfilling the legitimate demands, she asked the BKMEA members to sit and discuss their problems with the textile and commerce ministers. Last year, the country's knitwear exports fetched $1653.83 million, nearly 25.52 percent of the total export proceeds.
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