The Western Asian country, Iraq has expressed its interest in importing more of readymade garments from the world’s second-biggest apparel exporter, Bangladesh.
Bangladesh Ambassador to Iraq Abu Maksud M Forhad conveyed the message to Siddiqur Rahman, President of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) in a meeting held at the latter’s office in Karwan Bazar, Dhaka, on April 9, 2018. Mohammed Nasir, Vice President (Finance) of BGMEA, was also present in the meeting.
The Ambassador said that Iraq is a potential market for Bangladeshi apparel exports and asked BGMEA to collaborate with the Embassy for exploring the Iraqi market.
He further added that Iraq imports apparels from Turkey and China. However, the country’s high officials, traders and general public hold the apparel items of Bangladesh in high regard. They are interested to buy apparel items from Bangladesh. That is why Iraqi businessmen want to import apparel items from Bangladesh more.
In return, the BGMEA President expressed his gratitude to the Ambassador for taking the initiative of promoting Bangladeshi apparel products in Iraq. He said Bangladesh is in the ranks of those countries currently manufacturing apparel items in the safest of environments. He also highlighted that Bangladesh is leading the green industrialisation in the global apparel industry with 67 LEED-certified manufacturing units.
It is pertinent to mention here that Bangladesh’s trade with Iraq during the July-March 2018 period amounted to US $ 839,453, according to the latest data of Export Promotion Bureau. Within this, the business of apparel items during the period stands at US $ 192,256.
