The country’s first ready-made garment (RMG) museum is going to be inaugurated at the BGMEA headquarters in Dhaka on August 14. Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan urged BGMEA members to donate archival material and materials related to the ready-made garment trade in a letter on July 30.
He said, “We are collecting clothes, accessories, spare parts made around 1980. Initially, we plan to collect, preserve and display items like history, archives, commercial documents, copies of old L/Cs or any other commercial documents, photographs, audio-visuals, sample copies of sewing machines or other machines.”
Figure: Collected.
He requested members to donate letters, faxes, telexes, diaries, presentations, or any other relevant documents of historical value.
He also called for help in preserving office machines or equipment like typewriters, computers, fax machines, biographies of industry leaders and other collectibles relevant to the history of the industry and information, stories etc.
In the letter, he added, “The name and details of the person who sent the said items will be duly mentioned in the museum.”
He further said, “Bangladesh has been a major driving force of the country’s economy for 40 years. It is becoming stronger by facing challenges. Now it is the world’s second-largest garment exporter and employs millions of people.”
In the letter Faruque Hassan said, “The history of the RMG industry is not well known, many stories and memories have been lost. It is important to preserve this history so that future generations can learn about the industry’s challenges and triumphs.”
“It will also be a place where people can learn about the contributions of the pioneers of the RMG industry and the sacrifices that have been made to make the industry what it is today. I believe an RMG museum would be a fitting tribute to the history of the art. It will preserve its legacy for future generations. I request everyone to support its establishment in BGMEA.”
Referring to the museum, BGMEA vice-president Shahidullah Azim said, “We are working to launch it on the scheduled date.”
He said, “The museum will tell the story of the journey, challenges, prospects, and current situation of the country’s largest export-earning RMG sector. The journey of the RMG industry to where it is today has not been easy. It has gone through many ups and downs to reach its current status, becoming a multi-billion dollar industry. Basically, the main objective of this museum will be to present the history of that journey.”
