Chief Adviser’s Special Envoy, Lutfey Siddiqi, held a dialogue with representatives of global brands and buyers from the ready-made garments (RMG) sector at his office on Thursday (5 December).
The meeting focused on fostering collaboration and addressing key challenges in Bangladesh's RMG industry, reads a press release.
Lutfey Siddiqi expressed gratitude for the buying community's constructive engagement, which has supported the sector during challenging times. Highlighting positive trends, he noted double-digit growth in export volumes, remittances, and cargo handling compared to the previous year. However, he stressed the need for continued vigilance in areas such as law and order, labor relations, and liquidity.
The envoy also pointed out that while structural challenges, including port and energy infrastructure and skill gaps, require longer-term solutions, reforms in decision-making processes could accelerate progress.
For their part, the buyers’ representatives welcomed the opportunity to directly engage with the government at a ministerial level for the first time. They raised concerns about weak brand protection, restrictive credit facilities for imports, and the absence of a dedicated green energy plan for the sector.
While expressing full support for the government’s agenda to improve labor standards, the representatives dismissed claims that their pricing policies hinder wage growth. They also offered their assistance in countering misinformation and promoting an accurate narrative of Bangladesh’s progress to the global audience.
The Special Envoy thanked the representatives for their support and acknowledged their role in projecting Bangladesh's evolving success story internationally.
Key attendees included Ziaur Rahman of H&M, Javier Santonja of Inditex, and other prominent figures from the global RMG industry. The meeting underscored a shared commitment to advancing Bangladesh's position in the global apparel market while addressing critical challenges collaboratively.
