February 2020

Even though Dhaka and its adjoining cities of Narayanganj and Gazipur have been popular for the readymade garment industry, but of late Chittagong – the original garment manufacturing hub of Bangladesh – is set to regain its past glory. Having well-equipped EPZs, proximity to the port and with over 500 RMG units, including big conglomerates like the Asian Group and the KDS, Chittagong would now figure among the most sought-after destinations for those looking to set up new units. Team AOB recently caught up with the stakeholders to understand what they think about the future of Chittagong as a manufacturing hub.

Till yesterday, it was the Accord and Alliance which provided the remediation between the buyers and the suppliers, and drove the safety and security mechanisms. But with time the Government bodies started gaining in prominence, and one such name is the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments (DIFE) – an autonomous Government agency. Recently, DIFE hit the headlines when it instructed country’s big two trade bodies – the BGMEA and BKMEA – to stop providing the Utilisation Declarations (UDs) for export and import to 189 member factories due to non-compliance in fixing safety faults.

Review of 4 garment events held together – The 19th edition of Garmentech; 11th GAP Expo; 11th International Yarn & Fabrics Sourcing Fair; and PackTech Bangladesh which concluded recently, find special position in this issue.