BSS, Chittagong :
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, MP Thursday declared that the country’s largest readymade garment (RMG) industrial park in Munshiganj is expected to be completed within next three years and more industrial parks of the same kind would gradually be set up in Chittagong .
He said Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and China’s Orient International holding company have already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to set up the RMG industrial park at a cost of US$ 2.3 billion at Gazaria in Munshiganj district.
“…the project is expected to be completed within next three years and similar industrial parks will be set up in Mirsarai and Anwara upazilas of Chittagong district”, he added.
The minister declared this while inaugurating the three-day long Bangladesh Apparel and Safety Exposition (BASEXPO-2015) at Hotel Radisson Blue Chittagong Bay View Auditorium this noon.
BGMEA is arranging the exhibition to present the readymade garments sector of Bangladesh before the world and achieving the vision of US$ 50 billion export by 2021, the golden jubilee of Independence of Bangladesh.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony as the chief guest, the commerce minister said the RMG sector of Bangladesh, despite different pressing difficulties, has set up an example of safety reform which can be a role model for all other countries around the world.
“Out of our 3081 factories inspected by foreign and local experts, 3047 factories have been found safe to operate while only 34 units were found to be vulnerable”, he pointed out.
He said the G7 Multi Stakeholder Conference held in Berlin in April last highly appreciated the progress achieved in the safety of the RMG industries in Bangladesh.
Terming Rana Plaza collapse as an unfortunate event and an accident, the minister said Rana Plaza was not the real picture of the RMG sector of Bangladesh.
“The unfortunate incident has made the other RMG industries cautious while the government has a “Zero tolerance” on the question of the safety of the factory workers”, he said adding “it is unfortunate that US has not reinstated our GSP (Generalized Scheme of Preferences) facilities though USAID and UKAID expressed satisfaction over the safety measures taken by our RMG factories since Rana Plaza collapse”.
Outlining different progress made by the present government under the leadership of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Tofail said the government has successfully eliminated child labour in the RMG industries and there is not a single child labourer at any industry.
“We have already gained the status of a lower-middle income country and our Honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina targets to turn it into a middle income one within next three years”, he added.
Terming Bangladesh as a ‘country of heroes’, he also expressed his hope that Bangladesh would be able to achieve its vision of US$ 50 billion export by 2021, the golden jubilee of Independence of Bangladesh.
Addressing the function, Chittagong mayor AJM Nasir Uddin strongly endorsed the demand of BGMEA to increase gas supply in different factories in Chittagong and he urged BGMEA to continue such laudable exposition of and on.
The exposition will be participated by different buyers, forums, representatives from different international organizations, 74 reputed local and foreign companies of fabrics, knit, woven enterprises, garments machineries, labour representatives, educationists and media personalities.
Presided over by BGMEA president Mohammad Atiqul Islam, the function was addressed, among others, by Member of the European Parliament and chair of the European Parliament for Trade and Monitoring Group for South Asia Sajjad Karim,
Ambassador & the head of delegation of the European to Bangladesh Pierre Mayaudon, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Marcia Stephens Bloom Bernicat, High Commissioner of Canada to Bangladesh Benoit-Pierre LaraMee.
Apart from inaugural and concluding ceremonies, seminars on four separate topics-
Branding Bangladesh, Training and Development Skills for Strong Sustainable and Balanced Growth, Financing Apparel Growth and Capacity Building of Port Customs, Power & Infrastructure to Reach Export Target to US $ 50 Billion in 2021 will also be held. Live fashion show every day at the exhibition venue with the participation of noted artistes is one of the highlights of the BASEXPO-2015.
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, MP Thursday declared that the country’s largest readymade garment (RMG) industrial park in Munshiganj is expected to be completed within next three years and more industrial parks of the same kind would gradually be set up in Chittagong .
He said Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and China’s Orient International holding company have already signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to set up the RMG industrial park at a cost of US$ 2.3 billion at Gazaria in Munshiganj district.
“…the project is expected to be completed within next three years and similar industrial parks will be set up in Mirsarai and Anwara upazilas of Chittagong district”, he added.
The minister declared this while inaugurating the three-day long Bangladesh Apparel and Safety Exposition (BASEXPO-2015) at Hotel Radisson Blue Chittagong Bay View Auditorium this noon.
BGMEA is arranging the exhibition to present the readymade garments sector of Bangladesh before the world and achieving the vision of US$ 50 billion export by 2021, the golden jubilee of Independence of Bangladesh.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony as the chief guest, the commerce minister said the RMG sector of Bangladesh, despite different pressing difficulties, has set up an example of safety reform which can be a role model for all other countries around the world.
“Out of our 3081 factories inspected by foreign and local experts, 3047 factories have been found safe to operate while only 34 units were found to be vulnerable”, he pointed out.
He said the G7 Multi Stakeholder Conference held in Berlin in April last highly appreciated the progress achieved in the safety of the RMG industries in Bangladesh.
Terming Rana Plaza collapse as an unfortunate event and an accident, the minister said Rana Plaza was not the real picture of the RMG sector of Bangladesh.
“The unfortunate incident has made the other RMG industries cautious while the government has a “Zero tolerance” on the question of the safety of the factory workers”, he said adding “it is unfortunate that US has not reinstated our GSP (Generalized Scheme of Preferences) facilities though USAID and UKAID expressed satisfaction over the safety measures taken by our RMG factories since Rana Plaza collapse”.
Outlining different progress made by the present government under the leadership of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Tofail said the government has successfully eliminated child labour in the RMG industries and there is not a single child labourer at any industry.
“We have already gained the status of a lower-middle income country and our Honourable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina targets to turn it into a middle income one within next three years”, he added.
Terming Bangladesh as a ‘country of heroes’, he also expressed his hope that Bangladesh would be able to achieve its vision of US$ 50 billion export by 2021, the golden jubilee of Independence of Bangladesh.
Addressing the function, Chittagong mayor AJM Nasir Uddin strongly endorsed the demand of BGMEA to increase gas supply in different factories in Chittagong and he urged BGMEA to continue such laudable exposition of and on.
The exposition will be participated by different buyers, forums, representatives from different international organizations, 74 reputed local and foreign companies of fabrics, knit, woven enterprises, garments machineries, labour representatives, educationists and media personalities.
Presided over by BGMEA president Mohammad Atiqul Islam, the function was addressed, among others, by Member of the European Parliament and chair of the European Parliament for Trade and Monitoring Group for South Asia Sajjad Karim,
Ambassador & the head of delegation of the European to Bangladesh Pierre Mayaudon, US Ambassador to Bangladesh Marcia Stephens Bloom Bernicat, High Commissioner of Canada to Bangladesh Benoit-Pierre LaraMee.
Apart from inaugural and concluding ceremonies, seminars on four separate topics-
Branding Bangladesh, Training and Development Skills for Strong Sustainable and Balanced Growth, Financing Apparel Growth and Capacity Building of Port Customs, Power & Infrastructure to Reach Export Target to US $ 50 Billion in 2021 will also be held. Live fashion show every day at the exhibition venue with the participation of noted artistes is one of the highlights of the BASEXPO-2015.
