Bangladesh News

Chief Adviser Fakhruddin Ahmed yesterday said the government is committed to ensuring a business friendly atmosphere so that businessmen are not unnecessarily harassed.

“As part of the government initiatives for ending harassment and uncertainty in business activities, a regulatory reform committee has already started work,” Fakhruddin said while inaugurating Bangladesh Apparel and Textile Exposition (Batexpo 2007) in the capital.

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) organised the three-day Batexpo 2007 at a local hotel.

The chief adviser said formation of Better Business Forum (BBF) headed by head of the government is also in process to increase coordination between the government and businessmen.

Moreover, steps are underway for capacity enhancement of business-related government organisations including Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (Bepza), Board of Investment (BoI) and Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), he mentioned.

Advisers of the caretaker government, diplomats, representatives of international organisations, foreign buyers, owners of garment and textile industries and leaders of business community were present at the inaugural function.

Fakhruddin Ahmed directed the BGMEA and other apparel-related organisations to maintain timeliness in implementing compliance with buyers’ conditions and wage board award fully.

He assured BGMEA leaders of his wholehearted cooperation in lobbying for approval of an apparel sector-related bill titled “The New Partnership for Development Act of 2007″ introduced in the US Congress.

“During my recent visit to US, I emphasised to the authorities concerned the necessity of giving duty and quota-free entry of Bangladesh garments to US market. Bangladesh Embassy in that country in association with BGMEA representatives continues lobbying hard for passage of the bill,” Fakhruddin pointed Ahmed pointed out.

The US is the single-largest market of readymade garments (RMG) from Bangladesh. If this bill is passed, apparel export to US would largely increase, the function was told.

The chief adviser said the government would give all cooperation in setting up the proposed Readymade Garments Village at Baushia in Gajaria upazila of Munshiganj.

At the site, 390 plots in 300 acres of land are being developed and workers dormitory is being built.

The chief adviser later visited some stalls at the BATEXPO 2007.

A total of 67 enterprises are participating in the exposition to showcase their products at 82 stalls set up at the annual fair.

As part of the event, the BGMEA is organising three informative seminars highlighting contribution of the RMG sector and roadmap for the future.

The main objective of the exposition is to woo new buyers by displaying Bangladesh’s own fashion and design.

Buyers from Latin American countries and Russia for the first time joined this year’s exposition along with those from 47 other countries, especially European countries.

Garment sector contributes about 76 percent of the country’s export earning — about 9.2 billion dollars. Around 24 lakh people, 85 percent of them women, work in the sector to make world class wears.

Finance Adviser Dr Mirza Azizul Islam and Labour and Employment Adviser Md Anwarul Iqbal also spoke at the function chaired by BGMEA President Anwar-ul-Alam Chowdhury Pervez.