December 2019

We are almost through with this year 2019 and hope the dawn of New Year 2020 will bring a new vision with all-round development. Known for its fighting spirit and resilience, the industry has been able to come out successful from some trying times, nevertheless with exports once again showing signs of a rebound and the ever-enthusiastic entrepreneurs looking forward to 2020 with new hope. In this year-end issue, AOB tries to encapsulate the top trends and developments of 2019 – from getting its first woman BGMEA President to the industry going green and determining how it fared – as we step into a new decade of hope and opportunity.

The issue also focuses on the importance of seven sister states of northeast India, gaining in economic relevance lately both for India and Bangladesh as apparel exports between the two countries grew significantly from US $ 0.87 billion from last fiscal (2017-18) to US $ 1.25 billion in 2018-19. Also in spite of the ongoing trade war with USA, China continues to dominate the domestic market in Bangladesh. According to Euromonitor, China’s adult garment market was worth around RMB 1,571.7 billion in 2018, an increase of 7.8 per cent year-on-year, and the market value is expected to reach RMB 1,725.8 billion by 2020. Apart, the roaring success of the recently concluded 11th edition of the Bangladesh Denim Expo also finds space in this issue.