The Sammilito Parishad, a panel participating in the biennial polls of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), today (25 February) announced its election manifesto, committing to develop a smart garment sector, if they are elected in the polls scheduled to be held on 9 March in Dhaka and Chattogram.
Md Siddiqur Rahman, chief election coordinator of the Sammilito Parishad for the 2024-26 tenure, announced the manifesto at a press conference held at the Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka.
Rahman, also a former BGMEA president, introduced 35 panel members of the Parishad at the event.
The panel will work for the continuation of the duty benefit to major markets even after the graduation of the country to a developing nation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) by 2026 and also work for obtaining the GSP Plus status in the European Union.
The Parishad also pledged for developing and facilitating the growth of small and medium enterprises in the garment sector for a sustainable garment trade.
The panel will also work for bringing bank interest rates at single digit and for introducing a special exchange rate of dollar for the garment exporters.
They vowed to create opportunity by easing the access to finance and developing the skilled human resources.
They will also work to simplify the complexities to introduce new Harmonised System (HS) code for product diversification and to ease the business of garment both in export and import of raw materials.
The panel leader also committed to working with the government for introducing a special incentive for inspiring the garment entrepreneurs in using non-cotton fibre in garment making aiming to diversify the export products in the garment segment.
They will lobby with the government for duty free import of solar panels and related equipment for promoting the use of renewable energy aiming to reduce the carbon emission.
The panel will also work for innovation and design development to update the member garment factories, the panel leader also said.
They will work for market and product diversification and searching new markets.
According to the manifesto, they want an additional 1% cash incentive on export receipt. Currently, they receive 3% cash incentive for the new markets as the government reduced 1% from 4% this month.
The manifesto also said they will create a circular fashion guideline and green garment fashion industry if they are elected.
They also committed for skill development for the mid-level officials, introducing cash incentive and policy supports for the backward linkage industries like long-term tax holiday for the man-made fibre and recycled fibre industry.
They will also work for a unified code of conduct for maintaining social, labour and safety compliance audits, the manifesto also said.
They committed to work for stopping the harassment on obtaining certification from the RMG Sustainability Council (RSC), especially reducing the procrastination in obtaining certification from the RSC, the building design approval and establishing transparency in implementation of the corrective action plan in the garment sector.
SM Mannan (Kochi), the panel leader of the Sammilito Parishad, called for working together in the global crisis period so the sector can become sustainable. This is why he inducted young and fresh blood in his panel along with a number of experienced leaders, he said.
Usually, two panels including the Sammilito Parishad and the Forum Panel contest in the BGMEA election. The Forum Panel is scheduled to announce its manifesto on 26 February.
