A four-day fair related to garment accessories and packaging products, known as ‘GAPEXPO’ will begin on January 24 in the city’s International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB).The Bangladesh Garments Accessories and Packaging Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGAPMEA) will organise the fair, which is expected to create greater interactions among local and international businesses at one place, a statement said.The BGAPMEA is going to honour the apparel accessories makers by giving trophies based on their contribution to exports trade.Both shadow exporters and direct exporters will be awarded for their achievement on the closing day of the fair.President of the BGAPMEA Kader Khan said time was ripe for introducing exports trophy to encourage the accessories makers, helping them tap the multi-billion global market.He also said if provided necessary policy support from the government, accessories makers would contribute a lot to the exports target of $50 billion from the apparel sector by 2021.”We (accessories makers) will be able to contribute about $12 billion to attain the target,” he said.Garment accessories and packaging sector earned $6.70 billion from deemed exports in the last fiscal year (FY) 2016-17, which is 9.47 per cent higher than the $6.12 billion in the previous fiscal.Currently, Bangladesh has the capacity to meet more than 95 per cent of local demand besides direct exports to other countries, the association said.A total of 278 companies from 17 countries including India, China, Malaysia, Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Germany, Italy, France, the USA, Turkey and host Bangladesh will participate in the trade show.They will display garments accessories and packaging items with machinery with boiler and spare partsZakaria Trade and Fair International, and India-based ASK Trade and Exhibition Private Limited will support the BGAPMEA to organise the expo.The event will remain open from 10.00am to 7.00pm every day and there will be no entry fee.
