The government has worked out a plan to minimise trade gap with China, a senior trade official said. The plan includes persuading China to give import licences to Chinese retailers, issue multiple visas to Bangladeshi businessman and arrange visits of increased Chinese trade delegations. It also includes seeking Chinese help in establishing fashion institutes in Bangladesh, local infrastructural development and taking part in increased international fairs held in China. The move comes at a time when trade gap with the world’s biggest economy hit a new high of US$ 6.0 billion, even if Dhaka gets duty-free benefits. “Despite having duty-free facility, our businessmen could not do well in boosting exports to China. But import from China is gradually increasing,” vice chairman of EPB Suvashis Bose told the FE. He said that this has prompted his agency to sit with relevant parties to find out ways on how to reduce the trade gap. “There is a good demand of Bangladeshi products in China, but there are certain reasons that hold back increasing exports to China,” he said. “If we can implement the recommendations, we hope, our exports to China will grow,” he said. “China is a friendly country and we hope our negotiation with the government will bring a positive result,” Mr Bose added. President of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) A. K. M. Salim Osman said if the recommendations are implemented, garment exporters would be able to increase exports, since China is importing clothes from different countries across the world. “China does not issue import licenses to the retailers, if the government can convince China to issue import license to them, then import from Bangladesh to that country will increase significantly,” he added. The BKMEA president also urged the government to facilitate local raw-material producers to lessen dependence on China, thus make local exporters more competitive in that country. An inter-ministerial meeting, held in February at the commerce ministry, empowered the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) to make recommendations on how to increase merchandise shipment to China, while also narrowing the trade gap. In the last financial year, Bangladesh imported goods worth $7.55 billion from China on the other hand local exporters have exported only $746.2 million worth of goods to the country. While China offers duty-free facility of 4,788 Bangladeshi products, it has urged Beijing to include 17 more items on the duty-free list. Raw jute, leather, frozen fish, Knit and oven garment, pet flex, Jute yarn, glass wear, copper wear, medicine, chemical items and textile fabrics are among the products that local exporters export to China. China, a major trading partner of the country, accounts for around 2.47 per cent of Bangladesh’s annual exports of $30 billion.

Source: https://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2015/05/01/90997

The government of Bangladesh, Wal-Mart, J.C.Penney and The Children’s Place have been sued by victims and families of victims of a garment factory collapse that killed more than 1,000 people two years ago. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Washington, claims the retailers and the government were aware of the unsafe conditions, according to US media.

When the eight-story building collapsed on April 24, 2013, 1,129 people were killed and about 2,515 people were injured. Many of the people were women and children. “Defendants knew, or with the exercise of reasonable diligence, should have known, that the Rana Plaza facility was not safe for human habitation,” said the lawsuit filed Thursday in U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. The Bangladesh government breached its duty to its citizens by failing to properly inspect the building, failing to ensure compliance with local construction standards and failing to ensure the safety of factory workers, the lawsuit said. Retail defendants breached their duty to workers in the building, the lawsuit claims, by failing to implement standards and oversight mechanisms designed to ensure the health and safety of workers who manufactured clothing for their stores.

Source: https://www.dhakatribune.com/business/2015/apr/29/rana-plaza-victims-sue-bangladesh-govt-wal-mart-jc-penney#sthash.QDAGYKxt.dpuf

Industrial production increased in the first half of this fiscal year on the back of higher growth in pharmaceuticals, iron and steel, and cement sectors. Relatively calm political situation after January 5 election helped the industries boost their output. The industrial production in the July-December period of FY2014-15 grew 10% from a year earlier, showed data released by Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics recently. During the period, manufacturing output, which contributes about 20% to industrial production, rose 10% from a year earlier, while electricity output rose 10.8% and mining increased 10%. During the period, October marked the lowest production declining nearly 12% from the previous month. Among medium and large-scale manufacturing industries, the cement sector grew 66.3%, followed by pharmaceuticals 47.5% and iron and steel 23.2%. Beverage, tobacco, textile, chemicals and chemical products saw negative growths while garment, food products, electrical equipment, non-metallic mineral products, leather and related products and fabricated metal products posted positive growths during the period. “The positive industrial production is a result of cloudless political sky during the period,” said Mirza Azizul Islam, former finance adviser to a caretaker government. But this growth might slow down in the second half of the fiscal year, he observed as the January-March period was marred by the political unrest. Asian Development Bank (ADB), in its latest quarterly update on Bangladesh economy, said industry sector growth in FY2015 will be lower than expected, as exports, small-scale manufacturing, and construction activities have been affected by the political unrest. However, better performance of large and medium-scale industries prior to the onset of the unrest is expected to hold up industrial sector’s growth, it said. Industry growth dropped to 8.4% in FY2014 from 9.6% a year earlier, because of supply disruption and weaker consumer confidence resulting from political unrest, according to ADB. It forecast that the industrail growth is expected to rise to 9% in FY2016 with brighter prospects for the readymade garment industry following compliance and safety standard reforms together with increased external demand as eurozone economies recover. The industry sector will be boosted by better availability of electricity and infrastructure, as expected new power generation is added to supply and ongoing road and railway projects are completed, and improved business confidence, ADB said.

Source: https://www.dhakatribune.com/business/2015/apr/29/industrial-output-grows-10-h1#sthash.wrektv5j.dpuf

Bangladeshi garment exporters are going to take part in an international exhibition of textile machinery in Italy next November to be familiar with new technology and machinery suitable for making apparel products. The exhibition named International Textile Machinery Exhibition is an eight-day event. Several seminars and discussion sessions on new technology of making garments will also be arranged there which will benefit the garment makers across the world. Organised by MP Exposition, the event is the world’s largest international textile machinery exhibition recognised as ‘Olympics’ of the textile machinery industry – a showcase of the latest technology scheduled to start on November 12 next at Fiera Milano Rho in Malan, Italy. A promotional presentation on the occasion of the exhibition was held in the city recently. Bangladesh Textile Today is the local media partner of the show that organised the event in cooperation with MP International. Shahidullah Azim, Vice-President of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Regional Marketing Communication Director of MP Exposition, the organiser of the exhibition, Dephne Poon, Engineer Md Shafiqur Rahman, Senior Vice President of Institution of Textile Engineers and Technologists (ITET), were present there as the special guest. The event was chaired by ASM Tareq Amin, Editor and Publisher of Bangladesh Textile Today. Bangladeshi entrepreneurs and garment exporters have a unique scope to explore new avenues to expand their clientele base as well as attract foreign investors,” Dephne Poon said noting that the main purpose of the exhibition is to introduce modern and latest textile machinery to potential entrepreneurs and investors. In his speech, Shahidulla Azim said there is no alternative to use developed and modern technology to achieve vision 2021 of exporting 50 million dollar of readymade garments. Mentionable, the exhibition along with an attractive show for the global garment makers are also a lucrative scope for the Bangladeshi apparel makers. Around 200 sector insiders from Bangladesh visited the event in 2011.

Source: https://www.daily-sun.com/print/business/2015/04/29/500484#sthash.0t4jCfPg.dpuf

The industries ministry is going to recognise 56 industrialists as commercially important persons (CIP) for their contributions to the economy and industrialisation for the year 2014, according to a gazette notification issued last week. The notification said that 12 businessmen would get the CIP cards with various facilities in ex-officio category, 21 from large-scale industries, 9 from medium-scale industries, 6 from small-scale industries, 2 from micro-scale industries, one from cottage and 5 from services industry categories. The industrialists were selected for their contributions to the economy by setting up industries in private sector, creating employment and increasing national income in the year, it said. Officials said that the CIP cards would be handed over to the awardees at a function to be organised soon. The government will provide various facilities including entrance to the secretariat, invitation at national receptions organised by the government and the city corporations, priority in seat reservation on Biman Bangladesh Airlines and other government vehicles for business travels, letters of introduction issued by foreign ministry for getting visa to visit abroad for business purposes, priority in getting cabin facility in government hospitals and facility to use VIP lounge at airports, according to CIP (Industry) Policy-2012. CIPs from ex-officio category are the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry president Kazi Akram Uddin Ahmed, Bangladesh Chamber of Industries president AK Azad, National Association of Small and Cottage Industries of Bangladesh president Mirza Nurul Gani Shovon, Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association president Atiqul Islam, Bangladesh Employers Federation president Tapan Chowdhury, Women Entrepreneurs Association of Bangladesh president Nasreen Fatema Awal, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association president AKM Salim Osman, Bangladesh Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Sangita Ahmed, Bangladesh Jute Mills Association president Mohammad Shams-Uz-Zoha, Foreign Investors Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Rupali Haque Chowdhury, Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry former president Mohammad Shahjahan Khan and Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industry former president Rokya Afzal Rahman. From the large scale industries, selected persons are Jaber and Jobayer Fabrics Ltd Managing Director Abdus Samad Mohammad Rafiqul Islam, Abdul Monem Limited managing director Md Abdul Monem, BRB Cable Industries Ltd managing director Parvez Rahman, Super Refinery Ltd managing director Selim Ahmed, Fariha Knit Tex Ltd managing director Mohammad Asadul Islam, Islam Re-Rolling Mills Ltd managing director Azharul Islam, MRS Industries Ltd managing director M Shamsur Rahman, Pahartali Textile and Hosiery Mills managing director Mirza Salman Ispahani, Envoy Textiles Ltd chairman Kutubuddin Ahmed, Cosmopolitan Industries Ltd director Tanvir Ahmed, Fuji Ink Industries Limited Chairman Farhana Monem, Polo Composite Knit Industry Ltd managing director MA Jalil, Universal Jeans Limited managing director Nasir Uddin, Square Consumer Products limited managing director Anjan Chowdhury, BSRM Steels Ltd Chairman Alihussain Akberali, ACI Formulations Ltd Chairman M Anis Ud Dowla, Pacific Jeans Ltd Director Syed Mohammad Tanvir, Jalal Ahmed Spinning Mills Ltd managing director M Shahjahan, Runner Automobiles Ltd chairman Hafizur Rahman Khan, FARR Ceramics Ltd chairman Khodeza Farhad Ruhi and Gem Jute Ltd managing Director Kazi Enam Ahmed. CIPs from medium-scale industry category are Citadel Apparels Ltd managing director Mahidul Islam Khan, BD Seafood Ltd director Badrul Haider Chowdhury, Oeko Tex Ltd managing director Abdus Sobhan, Basumati Distribution Ltd MD Z M Golam Nabi, BRB Polymer Ltd MD Mojibur Rahman, Gemini Sea Food Ltd MD Kazi Shahid Ahmed, BD Foods Ltd director Tafhim Al Azmi, Atlas Sea Food Ltd MD SM Mizanur Rahman and Igloo Foods Ltd Director ASM Moinuddin Monem. Kiam Metal Industries Ltd MD Mizber Rahman, Baly Yarn Dyeing Ltd MD Masud Zaman, Footbed Footwear Ltd MD Aniruddho Kumer Ray, Karim Spinning Mills Ltd chairman Abdul Hai Sarker, Amanat Shah Weaving Processing Ltd director Lutfa Begum and Technomedia Ltd MD Joshoda Jibon Debnath were selected as CIPs under small industry category. CIPs under micro industry category are RMM Leather Industries chairman Mohiuddin Ahmed Mahin and AB Fashion Maker proprietor Sanaul Haque Babul. Janani Weaving Factory owner Rafiqul Islam Paran was selected as CIP under cottage industry category. CIPs under services sector are Navana Real Estate vice-chairman Sajedul Islam, STS Holdings Ltd MD Khandaker Monir Uddin, Shanta Properties Ltd director Jasmine Sultana, Navana Limited chairman Shafiul Islam and Sheltech Limited MD Taufiq M Seraj.

Source: https://newagebd.net/115539/56-industrialists-get-cip-status-for-2014/#sthash.WoE5R3aA.dpuf

Garment exporters have strongly opposed a decision of the National Board of Revenue permitting a private organisation to set up a quality control centre for inspecting the quality of apparel products before shipment. The revenue board on April 5 permitted Ispahani Summit Alliance Terminals Ltd to set up a special bonded warehouse and the quality centre. Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association in a letter to the NBR demanded for withdrawal of the permission for the sake of export of RMG products. Exporters also blamed that the revenue board took the decision to facilitate a vested quarter to run monopoly business in the sector. A high official of the revenue board, however, told New Age on Tuesday that the permission was given on the basis of buyers’ requirement as they were showing reluctance to send their quality control team to Bangladesh on security reasons and to reduce costs. Some international buyers appointed the ISATL, a joint venture of Alliance Holdings Ltd, MM Ispahani Ltd and Summit Group, for conducting quality control inspection and for doing other activities including packing for shipment, he said. The joint venture has the backing of the high ups of the Awami League-led government, sources said. He also said that the third party quality control system was not a new one as another 20 private organisations were doing the same since 1998. Exporters, in general, are not bound to make inspection of their products in the centre. They will have to send their products to the centre if their buyers want, he said. The entrepreneurs of Alliance Holdings Ltd and Summit Group have influential relatives within the Awami League-led government, sources said. BGMEA leaders, however, said that there were no such third party quality control organisations in the country. In a letter sent to the revenue board on April 13, BGMEA president Atiqul Islam said that the decision would increase cost of transportation and security of products to be exported if the quality control activities were done outside the factory by a third party. It will also take extra time to complete the export procedures reducing lead time in export, he said. ‘The revenue board did not take any opinion of the BGMEA, the largest association of RMG products exporters, which is unfortunate,’ he said. Quality control officers assigned by the international buyers examine the quality of products inside the factory before shipment and then the products, after packing, are handed over to the representatives of the buyers for shipment, he said. Currently, exporters get the scope to alter the items if buyers’ quality control team found any fault in any set of products during inspection inside the factory, BGMEA leaders said. But if the quality control activities are done by third party at a private Inland Container Depot or Container Freight Stations situated near ports, altering any products will be costly and time consuming as the products will have to be brought back to the factories, they said. Exporters Association of Bangladesh president, also former president of BGMEA, Abdus Salam Murshedy, said that the decision was totally unacceptable as it would severely hamper export business. ‘The decision has been taken to provide special privilege of monopoly business to a certain quarter,’ he said. He also said that only C&A, a UK-based international buyer, conduct their quality control tasks by their nominated organisation at Chittagong before shipment.

Source: https://newagebd.net/115543/exporters-oppose-pvt-quality-control-centre-for-rmg-items/#sthash.BVGySR9h.dpuf

Bangladesh Ambassador to the United States Mohammad Ziauddin has said Bangladesh is destined to become a vibrant economic hub of the region, reports UNB. He said Bangladesh’s economy is moving at a fast pace to become a middle-income ‘Digital Bangladesh’ by fulfilling Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s vision 2021 and also a developed country by 2041. “To attain those goals, there is a strong emphasis on increasing export, remittance and foreign direct investment as well as establishing a physical multimodal connectivity with all countries in the region and beyond as a bridge between South and South East Asia,” he said while inaugurating the ‘Asian Festival 2015’ in Kansas, USA recently. Mayor of Olathe, Kansas, White House representative, diplomats, corporate representatives and high-profile businessmen were present on the occasion, said a press release here on Tuesday. The diplomat said the advancing innovations of information and communication technology followed by the ever-increasing flow of trade and investments, goods and services and peoples, is transforming the world into a global village. “Thus cultures, traditions, customs and norms are inevitably mixing freely and creating better understanding among the peoples of the world,” he said. ‘Asian Festival 2015’ is the largest yearly celebration for the 15 Asian nations in Kansas organised by the Mid-American Asian Cultural Association (MAACA). MAACA is an umbrella Association of 15 South and South East Asian diasporas in Kansas. The diplomat said in the process of such celebration peoples of different ethnicity, religions and beliefs are learning to understand and respect one another and adjust to living together in peace and harmony. “Asian nations should be proud of their ancient heritage and culture, they’re not only integrating well among themselves also merging gracefully with the larger socio-cultural fabric and pluralistic democratic society of the United States,” the Ambassador added. He said Bangladesh diaspora is contributing to the socio-economic growth of both their countries, to their home of origin they are sending remittances, which are doing wonders in transforming the lives of those they have left behind and on the other hand merging smoothly with the culture and values of their adopted home. The daylong ‘Asian Festival 2015’ was swamped by the Asian diasporas and Americans. The Festival started with the introduction of 15 national flags of the Asian countries. Bangladesh and other South-Asian countries showcased traditional cultural performances, indoor games, yoyo tricks and traditional stage parade etc. Bangladesh and other South-East Asian countries also opened individual food stalls in the festival.

Source: https://www.theindependentbd.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=256391:bangladesh-destined-to-be-economic-hub&catid=110:business-others&Itemid=156

Local apparel accessories makers have urged the government to allow the apex grouping to issue Utilisation Permission.”We’ve urged the government to give us the authority to issue UP for our members,” Rafez Alam Chowdhury, president of Bangladesh Garment Accessories and Packaging Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGAPMEA, told the FEHe said currently, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) issues the UP, allowing them to import raw materials, which is time-consuming.He said the apex bodies of woven and knit makers are allowed to issue UD (Utilisation Declaration) for their members. “We have developed software and website as per the required condition of the NBR. So the authorities concerned can give the permission to BGAPMEA from the upcoming budget fiscal year 2015-16.”Mr Chowdhury said the bond commissionarate office issues import entitlement that involves time and money and creates hassles for the exporters.But if BGAPMEA gets the authority to issue the import entitlement, it will help boost the export.He said although exports of garment accessories have been growing 10 per cent for last five years, exporters do not get any sort of cash incentive yet.The association head said his members need to face a three-step audit- bond audit, valuation audit and local revenue audit, which is time consuming and troublesome. “This can be done in a single audit,” he said.The BGAPMEA president noted that export-oriented garment factories get ‘continuous’ bond facilities, but the members of BPGAPMEA do not get such facilities.He demanded allowing the association members to import raw materials of pre-fabricated building at zero duties, helping them to make the factories safe.The association leaders will meet NBR officials at a pre-budget meeting along with BGMEA and BKMEA today (Wednesday).

Source: https://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2015/04/29/90707

A European-led retailers’ group is conducting an impact assessment on 200 ‘vulnerable’ garment factories with which it does business after tremor hit the country, people familiar with the situation said.The earthquake, which struck Nepal Saturday, also affected Bangladesh, with a series of tremors being felt in Dhaka as elsewhere in the country.The Accord assessment is aimed at determining if the factories that are producing garment items for its affiliated companies have been structurally affected by the quake.”All 11 Accord structural engineers are in the field doing immediate impact inspections at approximately 200 factories, deemed structurally most vulnerable from our initial inspections,” executive director of Accord Rob Wayss told the FE.The engineers are utilising an internationally recognised inspection protocol selected by its Chief Safety Inspector for the immediate inspections, he added.The Accord will integrate additional new safety hazards with the Corrective Action Plan for the factory and do the corresponding support and verification work, Mr Wayss noted.He said his organisation has requested the factories, which underwent inspection by the Accord to determine if the earthquake has caused any structural damage to the buildings.The Accord has formally communicated to the owners of inspected factories, requesting them to report the impact of the earthquake on their building and on any precautionary measures or investigations they have done since. The Accord, through 14 IndustriAll-linked trade unions in the country, continues to tell the workers to refuse dangerous work, he said.He added that they have also communicated with the trade unions and also with its signatory companies to inform the Accord regarding any concern they received from workers and any of its case handlers.

Source: https://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2015/04/29/90706

Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety has started fresh inspection at its listed garment factories following the complaints from the workers immediately after the Saturday’s earthquake. The Alliance is mindful of the impacts an earthquake of the magnitude of 7.8 that hit Kathmandu can have on structures like ready-made-garment (RMG) factories in Bangladesh, the North American buyers’ brands initiative said in a statement. “Fresh inspections must now be executed to ensure the structural safety of factories, and we have assembled a team of structural engineers, led by our Chief Safety Officer, to visit each building where there is a concern within the next 48 hours,” it added. The Alliance has received several calls to our helpline, Amader Kotha (Our Voice), from workers concerned about cracks in factory buildings following the earthquake. Our teams on the ground in Dhaka are working to ensure that all of the works to date to make RMG factories safe have not been impacted by the earthquake, it said. This earthquake and its aftershocks should be an indication of just how difficult it can be to ensure the structural safety of buildings in an earthquake zone. “While we have not yet seen immediate damage at our ready-made-garment factories in Bangladesh, this does not mean those buildings are structurally sound following this earthquake and its aftershocks,” it noted further. The Alliance has urged all factories in Bangladesh to work with them to undertake immediate structural safety inspections and to prevent workers from entering factories until they are deemed structurally safe. Officials of the Alliance’s Dhaka office said they got complaints of having cracks in some 21 garment factories and they have already visited 13 out of them and found no safety risk there.

Source: https://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/2015/04/28/90610