Speakers at a seminar underscored the necessity of introducing innovations, adopting technology, searching for new markets and developing skills of the workforce to brand Bangladesh abroad with a view to reaching the goal of $50 billion by the year 2021.
They made the call at the seminar titled ‘Branding Bangladesh’ held at the Chittagong Radisson Blu, Chittagong Bay View in the port city on Thursday.
“Re-branding the image of Bangladesh’s apparel sector is necessary,” said Dr Jennifer Bair, Professor of Colorada University, adding that Rana Plaza collapse has tilted the readymade garment sector here while the government and stakeholders should work under a single platform to re-brand.
Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed spoke at the event as the chief guest while former commerce minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury addressed the programme as special guest. Marica Stephens Bloom Bernicat, US Ambassador to Dhaka, Roger Hurbert, Chief Representative of H and M Bangladesh, participated at the event with Atiqul Islam, President of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), in the chair.
Syed Farhat Anwar, Professor of IBA of Dhaka University, presented the keynote paper titled ‘Helping Build Brand: The Apparel Sector of Bangladesh’.
It is necessary to increase the volume of production of apparel items to reduce the production cost, the US ambassador opined adding the government of USA will remain beside Bangladesh to its journey of achieving $50 billion.
Perceptions, mental imagery, value judgment, reputation and promise are the key indicators for a nation’s brand, said Syed Farhat.
A brand cannot be built within a small geographical zone, but brands are created when they are acclaimed globally, he said.
The commerce minister said Bangladesh has been gaining remarkable progress in all of the economic indicators which is being praised by the renowned national and international commentators.
The contribution of industrial sectors to GDP is 30 percent while service sector is sharing 56 percent, Tofail said adding that Rana Plaza collapse was an accident and a wake-up call for the sector. The government as well as the stakeholders are working for overall development of the readymade garment industry which will brand Bangladesh before the world.
Amir Khosru Mahmud called upon the stakeholders to come out of the ‘vicious circle’ of cheap price of product saying why the country is being considered as a cheap labour hub even after its 30 years-long experience of garment industry.
Mentionable, the seminar was arranged following the inauguration of the three-day Bangladesh Apparel and Safety Expo Chittagong 2015 on Thursday morning.
