The export earnings from the country’s garment accessories and packaging industries would be as much as $12 billion by 2018 should the sector gets effective support to grow, industry people said. Participating in a discussion at the inaugural programme of the Garment Accessories and Packaging Expo 2015 (GAPEXPO) at the Bangabandhu International Conference Centre (BICC) in the capital yesterday, leading stakeholders of this sector also demanded that this sector should be developed as a separate industry, reports BSS. Bangladesh Garment Accessories Packaging Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGAPMEA) organised the expo, providing a marketing platform for its members to display their latest products and latest collection to the apparels exporters and buyers. Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu inaugurated the expo when he assured that the government would provide all support to help develop the sector so it could expedite the export prospect. The minister said the government already fast-tracked export diversification initiatives so many other sectors including the garment accessories and packaging, shipbuilding and recycling, pharmaceuticals, leather, ceramic, plastic and ICT would grow besides the major export earning readymade garment sector. He said the government would also consider on a priority basis if the entrepreneurs of the garment accessories and packaging sectors want spaces at the BSCIC industrial estate or Garment Palli. Textiles and Jute Minister Emaj Uddin Pramanik, State Minister for Finance and Planning MA Mannan, Bangladesh Bank (BB) Deputy Governor SK Sur Chowdhury and BGAPMEA President Rafez Alam Chowdhury also addressed the programme. Some 300 entrepreneurs from 30 countries are participating in the 4-day expo, ending on Saturday.Later, it had increased only the price of compressed natural gas by 66.67 per cent, from Tk. 18 to Tk. 30 a cubic metre, in two phases in 2011, to rationalise the gas price with the increased price of fuels such as diesel, petrol and octane.

Industries minister Amir Hossain Amu said Wednesday apparel accessories and packaging makers will get plots at BSCIC estates or the planned garment park on a priority basis. He also pledged to extend necessary policy support to help boost the accessories and packaging segment. The minister’s promise came in response to a demand from the Bangladesh Garment Accessories Packaging Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGAPMEA) at the inaugural ceremony of a four-day fair being held in the city. President of BGAPMEA urged the government to provide land for setting up an institute and testing laboratory for capacity build-up and cash incentive and stimulus package to help the garment accessories and packaging sector thrive.   He also demanded resolution of the problem of Utilisation Permission (UP) issue and provide Export Development Fund (EDF) at low interest rate for the development of the sector. He expressed the hope that the local apparel accessories and packaging makers will able to export worth US$ 12 billion by 2018 if they get government policy support. The garment accessories and packaging sector earned US$ 4.75 billion during 2014 financial year. The average growth rate of the sector is around 13 per cent and it employs around 200,000 workers. In response to the trade group’s demand, state minister for finance and planning MA Mannan said that he will talk with the NBR chairman to resolve the UP issue and take initiative so that the garment accessories and packaging makers get cash incentive and stimulus. BGMEA vice president Md Shahidullah Azim said: “We’re facing political turmoil when the RMG sector starts to bounce back. The business people are the victim of political volatility.” He said politicians will run the country, but no country can move ahead destroying its economy.      He said foreign buyers have started to come to the country after taking initiative of ensuring compliance after the incident of Rana Plaza. But now they are feeling insecure to visit due to political unrest. If this situation continues, the buyers will stop visiting the country and the RMG sector will be in deep trouble. Textile and jute minister Md Emaj Uddin Pramanik, state minister for Finance and Planning MA Hannan, deputy governor of the central bank SK Sur and BGMEA vice president Md Shahidullah Azim attended the inaugural ceremony as special guests. International GAP Expo 2015, Garmentech and yarn and fabric sourcing fair Bangladesh Garment Accessories Packaging Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGAPMEA) in association with ASK Trade and Exhibitions Pvt Ltd and Zakaria Trade and Fair International are organising the fairs. The fairs are displaying different garment accessories and packaging products and its related machinery. It will create a platform for sourcing machinery and new technologies from different parts of the globe, which will help explore the business opportunity. The backward linkage industry makes around 35 items including button, carton, package, elastic, drawstring, embroidery, interlining, label, padding, poly bag, sewing thread, zipper, plastic items, back board, neck board, gum tap, and bar code. Around 30 countries including India, Pakistan, China, Taiwan, Australia, Germany and Dubai will take part in the fair. There are 632 stalls in the fair, which will remain open from 11 am to 8 pm everyday. The visitors will enjoy these fair through registered their names at the venue.

An international fair of garment accessories and packaging industries began in Dhaka yesterday to bring into focus the country’s strength in backward linkages that have helped build a strong local apparel sector.Over 300 companies from 30 countries are showcasing their products at the four-day GAP EXPO 2015 in over 600 stalls at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre in the capital.Bangladesh Garment Accessories Packaging Manufacturers and Exporters Association or BGAPMEA organised the fair.The expo provides an international platform for the members of the association to display their latest products and latest collections to garment exporters and buying houses, said Rafez Alam Chowdhury, president of BGAPMEA, in the opening ceremony.It also provides wider access for sourcing machinery and latest technology from all over the world, he said.  Companies making corrugated cartons, back board, neck board, sticker, hang tag, barcode, size tag, price tag, collar insert, collar bone, sewing thread, tape, elastic, printed and woven labels, zippers, hangers, buttons, and quilting and embroidery are displaying wares at the four-day fair.  The sector that boasts 1,200 suppliers is an important component of backward linkages and is strong enough to meet the demand of the garment industry.The export-oriented garment accessories and packaging sector earned $4.75 billion in the last fiscal year, and is likely to grow to $12 billion by the end of 2018.The sector is growing at an annual rate of 13 percent, with its value addition standing at over 40 percent, according to Chowdhury.Speakers at the opening ceremony urged the government to put more emphasis on the backward linkage industries including garment accessories and packaging, to help the country achieve its $50 billion garment export target by 2021.They also urged the government to grant cash incentives to the sector and make it a thrust sector in the Industrial Policy of 2015.Two other fairs — Garmentech Bangladesh and International Yard and Fabric Sourcing — are also being held at the same venue simultaneously. The events are being co-organised by Zakaria Trade and Fair International, AKS Trade and Exhibitions and BGAPMEA.At the pavilion of Garmentech fair, Udit Kumar of Sewing Solutions, has on display an automated pocket making machine that can save time and increase productivity.The presence of the visitors was thin in the afternoon, but participating companies hope for a big rush on Friday and Saturday.JUKU, a global sewing machine producer of Japan, is showcasing apparel and non-apparel sewing machine, said Nazmul Hossain, a senior sales executive of its Bangladesh subsidiary.He said the company is showcasing eco-friendly machines, as buyers around the world are increasingly demanding more and more environment-friendly products and production processes.  Naf Group is showcasing automated embroidery machine from Japan’s Tajima company.At the International Yard and Fabric Sourcing fair, Alam Industries has brought woven and knit tapes, which can be used in making inner wears and belts, said Nur Alam, one of the owners of the Gazipur-based company.In the same pavilion, A Arun, executive director of Vijay Velavan Spinning Mills Ltd in India, is displaying export quality yarn and fabrics.Industries Minister Amir Hossain Amu inaugurated the fair, where MA Mannan, state minister for finance, and Shitangshu Kumar Sur Chowdhury, deputy governor of Bangladesh Bank, also spoke.