Last month was quite eventful because of the visit of the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi… I was really impressed with the positive and friendly impression he left on us in Bangladesh… The textile industry if not overly awed, was quite happy with some of the initiatives… The foremost was easing the cargo movement among the two countries whether through seaport or through road transport from Kolkata to Dhaka to Agartala. Not just that, the ease of people’s movement through a bus service on the same route is another milestone achieved. Even the demand of the industry to allow FDI in retail is also under consideration.
Prime Minister Modi’s vision to join the entire South East Asia as one hub goes with our long standing belief that we as two nations are not competitors but complement each other as a unified sourcing destination for foreign buyers…, including Bhutan, Nepal and Myanmar, the region is very comprehensive and capable of most product categories in apparel exports… A buyer coming to this region for sourcing gets all he wants in terms of basics in volumes or fashion in small quantities…
I am sure the trade, if opens up more between these two countries, can generate much more business and increase job opportunities for both the countries…; stakeholders on both the sides need to dig deeper into the mutual benefits of suggested initiatives to get long-lasting returns from Modi’s diplomacy.
Our cover story in this edition traces the growth of the ‘Socks Industry in Bangladesh’ in recent years with as many as 20 companies investing in the product category in the last six years. The country’s largest socks manufacturer Towhid Samad, Chairman, Savar Group, who is called by many as the ‘father of socks industry’ in Bangladesh, shares his journey, while many others talk about their perspectives on the future potential of the segment.
India-based buying office Fifth Avenue working for brands such as Diesel, GAS, Replay, Teddy Smith, Gaudi and Kiomi is aggressively looking at sourcing from Bangladesh. Read how
Vinodh Sharma, CEO, Fifth Avenue is repositioning his business to increase sourcing from the country by 50%. Besides, a review of the highly successful second edition of Denim Expo throws light on the latest innovations in denim from players from the subcontinent.
Also in review is the recently concluded Texprocess, Germany. The event witnessed massive participation and visitation of people who thronged the sprawling exhibition ground of Messe Frankfurt to attend the four-day tech extravaganza. Some of the key innovations showcased by the major suppliers have been reviewed in the special feature.
