Industries minister Amir Hossain Amu said Wednesday apparel accessories and packaging makers will get plots at BSCIC estates or the planned garment park on a priority basis. He also pledged to extend necessary policy support to help boost the accessories and packaging segment. The minister’s promise came in response to a demand from the Bangladesh Garment Accessories Packaging Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGAPMEA) at the inaugural ceremony of a four-day fair being held in the city. President of BGAPMEA urged the government to provide land for setting up an institute and testing laboratory for capacity build-up and cash incentive and stimulus package to help the garment accessories and packaging sector thrive. He also demanded resolution of the problem of Utilisation Permission (UP) issue and provide Export Development Fund (EDF) at low interest rate for the development of the sector. He expressed the hope that the local apparel accessories and packaging makers will able to export worth US$ 12 billion by 2018 if they get government policy support. The garment accessories and packaging sector earned US$ 4.75 billion during 2014 financial year. The average growth rate of the sector is around 13 per cent and it employs around 200,000 workers. In response to the trade group’s demand, state minister for finance and planning MA Mannan said that he will talk with the NBR chairman to resolve the UP issue and take initiative so that the garment accessories and packaging makers get cash incentive and stimulus. BGMEA vice president Md Shahidullah Azim said: “We’re facing political turmoil when the RMG sector starts to bounce back. The business people are the victim of political volatility.” He said politicians will run the country, but no country can move ahead destroying its economy. He said foreign buyers have started to come to the country after taking initiative of ensuring compliance after the incident of Rana Plaza. But now they are feeling insecure to visit due to political unrest. If this situation continues, the buyers will stop visiting the country and the RMG sector will be in deep trouble. Textile and jute minister Md Emaj Uddin Pramanik, state minister for Finance and Planning MA Hannan, deputy governor of the central bank SK Sur and BGMEA vice president Md Shahidullah Azim attended the inaugural ceremony as special guests. International GAP Expo 2015, Garmentech and yarn and fabric sourcing fair Bangladesh Garment Accessories Packaging Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGAPMEA) in association with ASK Trade and Exhibitions Pvt Ltd and Zakaria Trade and Fair International are organising the fairs. The fairs are displaying different garment accessories and packaging products and its related machinery. It will create a platform for sourcing machinery and new technologies from different parts of the globe, which will help explore the business opportunity. The backward linkage industry makes around 35 items including button, carton, package, elastic, drawstring, embroidery, interlining, label, padding, poly bag, sewing thread, zipper, plastic items, back board, neck board, gum tap, and bar code. Around 30 countries including India, Pakistan, China, Taiwan, Australia, Germany and Dubai will take part in the fair. There are 632 stalls in the fair, which will remain open from 11 am to 8 pm everyday. The visitors will enjoy these fair through registered their names at the venue.
