Kazi Zahidul Hasan :
The country witnessed a significant increase in the export of leather shoes in the immediate past fiscal driven by rising global demands, insiders said.
They said that the global importers are showing more interest in buying Bangladeshi footwear following the fast growing export-oriented footwear and fashion leather goods industries here.
According to an official figure, Bangladesh has earned $483.81 million from the exports of leather footwear during the fiscal 2014-15 compared with $378.54 million in the previous fiscal, showing a 27.81 per cent year-on-year rise.
“The recent development of our industries is alluring global buyers resulting sharp rise in footwear exports,” Saiful Islam, former President of Bangladesh Leather and Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters’ Association (BLFMEA) told The New Nation on Monday.
He added that the global buyers have also shifted their focus on Bangladesh following continual labour unrest and rise in production cost in China and other footwear and leather goods exporting countries.
“Such factors have forced the buyers to sourcing footwear and leather products from Bangladesh helping increase its export earnings from the sector,” he noted.
The former BLFMEA leader further said that as the global importers are taking new interest in sourcing from Bangladesh more expansion of the industry is needed to meet the growing demands from them.
“If we can enhance the capacity of the industry, the footwear export will see a sharp rise within a short-period,” he added.
When asked, he said, our footwear’s quality is undoubtedly world-class and their price is cheaper than any other footwear exporting nations.
Saiful Islam mentioned that the rising cost of production in key leather and footwear exporting nations have created opportunity for the local exporters. “We should take this opportunity by creating a favourable atmosphere in the leather sector.”
He also suggested for maximising the value addition of local leather goods to enhance exports.
“Bangladesh’s leather sector has entered into a new era of maximum value addition” said Syed Nasim Manzur, Managing Director of Apex-Adelchi Footwear, the country’s largest shoe-exporting factory.
Nasim sees huge opportunity for enhancing Bangladesh’s export earnings from the sector on the back of rising global demands.
He said the EU and Japan are the traditional markets for Bangladeshi footwear, but huge demands are also coming recently from USA. All these developments will spur the export growth further, he said.
The country witnessed a significant increase in the export of leather shoes in the immediate past fiscal driven by rising global demands, insiders said.
They said that the global importers are showing more interest in buying Bangladeshi footwear following the fast growing export-oriented footwear and fashion leather goods industries here.
According to an official figure, Bangladesh has earned $483.81 million from the exports of leather footwear during the fiscal 2014-15 compared with $378.54 million in the previous fiscal, showing a 27.81 per cent year-on-year rise.
“The recent development of our industries is alluring global buyers resulting sharp rise in footwear exports,” Saiful Islam, former President of Bangladesh Leather and Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters’ Association (BLFMEA) told The New Nation on Monday.
He added that the global buyers have also shifted their focus on Bangladesh following continual labour unrest and rise in production cost in China and other footwear and leather goods exporting countries.
“Such factors have forced the buyers to sourcing footwear and leather products from Bangladesh helping increase its export earnings from the sector,” he noted.
The former BLFMEA leader further said that as the global importers are taking new interest in sourcing from Bangladesh more expansion of the industry is needed to meet the growing demands from them.
“If we can enhance the capacity of the industry, the footwear export will see a sharp rise within a short-period,” he added.
When asked, he said, our footwear’s quality is undoubtedly world-class and their price is cheaper than any other footwear exporting nations.
Saiful Islam mentioned that the rising cost of production in key leather and footwear exporting nations have created opportunity for the local exporters. “We should take this opportunity by creating a favourable atmosphere in the leather sector.”
He also suggested for maximising the value addition of local leather goods to enhance exports.
“Bangladesh’s leather sector has entered into a new era of maximum value addition” said Syed Nasim Manzur, Managing Director of Apex-Adelchi Footwear, the country’s largest shoe-exporting factory.
Nasim sees huge opportunity for enhancing Bangladesh’s export earnings from the sector on the back of rising global demands.
He said the EU and Japan are the traditional markets for Bangladeshi footwear, but huge demands are also coming recently from USA. All these developments will spur the export growth further, he said.
