The Bangladesh government has expanded the coverage of the pilot employment injury scheme to include compensation for accidents that may occur when workers are commuting to and from work.
The Governance Board of the Employment Injury Scheme (EIS) Pilot during its 8th meeting held on May 13 unanimously approved the inclusion of ‘commuting accidents’ as industrial accidents, making them eligible for compensation starting from July 1, 2024.
“We are very pleased to include commuting accidents in the Employment Injury Scheme Pilot to ensure protection of industries and workers in Bangladesh,” said Md Mahbub Hossain, Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment (MoLE) chairing the meeting.
The decision was unanimously supported by employers’ organizations (BEF, BGMEA, BKMEA), workers’ organizations (UFGW, NCCWE), and government agencies (Central Fund, DoL, DIFE), who are members of the EIS Pilot Governance Board, according to ILO.
“Since June 21, 2022, the EIS Pilot has been compensating injured workers and the dependents of deceased workers in the ready-made garments sector for work-related accidents,” said Tuomo Poutiainen, ILO’s Country Director for Bangladesh.
With this inclusion of commuting accidents, the initiative is expected to provide enhanced protection to workers and improve industrial relations, which are often disrupted by accidents involving workers on their way to or from work, Poutiainen said.
ILO technical experts provided insights into key aspects of the technical and financial aspects of such an expansion, including conditions for considering commuting accidents as workplace accidents but keeping separate records as these accidents take place outside the factory and not identifying them with any factory.
Additionally, they presented a strong case for the financial sustainability of the coverage of accidents under the EIS Pilot.
Employers’ associations responded positively saying; “we support fundamental rights of workers for social protection and would be happy to consider new benefits provided they do not affect the industry’s competitiveness,” agreeing to include commuting accidents under the pilot scheme from 1st July 2024.
The workers’ representatives also expressed their commitment to support the initiative. “RMG Sector is a relatively safe sector, however, road travel is the most horrible part of this job, therefore commuting accidents are important to be covered”.
Article 7 of the ILO Employment Injury Benefits Convention No. 121 (C-121) requires countries to define industrial accidents, including the conditions under which a commuting accident is considered to be an industrial accident.
Adapting this measure brings the Bangladesh EIS one-step in closer alignment with the requirements outlined in C -121.
In the ambit of the EIS Pilot, commuting accidents are considered accidents sustained while on the direct way between the place of work and the workers’ local residence. With the inclusion of commuting accidents in the EIS Pilot, the Pilot now covers two out of three recommended vulnerabilities, with ‘Occupational Diseases’ is yet to be covered.
A process has however started to develop the national capacity and data on occupational diseases.
ILO and GIZ are jointly providing technical support to the Government of Bangladesh, employers’, and workers’ organizations in implementing the Employment Injury Scheme Pilot.
The ILO initiative is funded by the Governments of the Netherlands and Canada, whereas the GIZ initiative is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).
For the sustainable development of the readymade garment (RMG) industry in the country and to thrive in the current competitive market, it is necessary to address three urgent challenges, said experts at a discussion.
The challenges are: decarbonization, the transition from the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), and the impact of automation technology on the fourth industrial revolution.
Decarbonization involves reducing carbon emissions across the RMG value chain, while the impending fourth industrial revolution poses a threat to jobs due to automation and artificial intelligence. Therefore, there’s an urgent need to reskill and upskill workers to mitigate job displacement.
The remarks were made in a presentation by Zahedul Amin, co-founder and director of LightCastle Partners, at a roundtable discussion titled ‘Bunon 2030: Policy discussion’ at a hotel in the capital Saturday.
Md Selim Hossen, deputy commerce secretary, said free trade agreements (FTAs) necessitate diversification of the export basket.
Bangladesh could adopt a product-based business model and invest in sector-specific initiatives to facilitate the transition away from reliance on the RMG sector, he said.
The meeting aimed at highlighting actions and recommendations for addressing the multifaceted challenges in the RMG industry during the LDC transition and to thrive in the competitive market.
Md Ariful Hoque, director general, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority, said policymakers can engage in consultations with pertinent stakeholders to craft effective export-oriented policies tailored to the needs of the apparel sector in Bangladesh.
Abdur Rahim Khan, inspector general, Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments, said emulating successful models like the Product Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme in India, tailored mechanisms could be devised to support and incentivize Bangladesh apparel export market.
Mohammad Hatem, executive president, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, said to facilitate the diversification in fiber production, there can be duty-free access on importing raw materials for the production of manmade Fibers (MMF).
LightCastle Partners, a global prominent business consultancy firm, and Policy Exchange Bangladesh, jointly organized the event.
The event was moderated by M Masrur Reaz, Chairman of Policy Exchange Bangladesh. Ainee Islam, Director of the Program Development Department at the Asia Foundation, delivered the opening remarks.
According to the keynote paper, the biggest crisis will arise after the transition from the list of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) status in 2026.
This crisis is likely to be worsened by the loss of other trade benefits, including the Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSP) due to LDC status, rising wages of workers, concerns about international buyers and importers shifting to countries with lower garment production costs than Bangladesh, and non-compliance by some garment industry owners.
The keynote also mentioned that, according to data from the Export Promotion Bureau in 2023, Bangladesh currently ranks as the second-largest exporter of ready-made garments globally.
The same source indicates that Bangladesh exported garments worth USD 47 billion by February FY24.
According to the Bangladesh Bank, the contribution of this sector to GDP in FY23 was 10.35%, employing over 4.1 million garment workers, 60% of whom are women.
Consequently, if these issues are not addressed promptly, they may negatively impact both the industry and the overall economy.
Bangladeshi apparel exporters have to pay up to six times higher than the official fees for securing essential permits and renewal of licences, which also increases their business costs, according to a new study by the Center for Policy Dialogue (CPD).
The study found that apparel exporters paid 644% higher than the official rate for boiler licences. For bond licences, they paid 261% higher than the official rate, and as for fire licences, the cost stands at 114% higher than the official rate.
“In some cases, the amount is a little bit lower. For example, 36% higher payment than the official for factory establishment licence, 16% higher for trade licence and 12% higher for export registration certificate and import registration certificate,” Dr Khondaker Golam Moazzem, research director at the CPD, said during a seminar on Tuesday (14 May).
The official rate, however, was not mentioned during the seminar.
The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), CPD and GIZ Bangladesh jointly organised the event on the “Business related barriers and possible way out.”
According to Dr Khondaker Golam Moazzem, the data was collected from various business enterprises.
Anecdotal information shows that costs for securing essential permits can range from Tk50,000-100,000 more than the official fees, he said in his keynote presentation.
Renewal of these licences, however, incurs additional expenses varying from Tk500 to several thousand, he added.
“Businesses frequently encounter unofficial and unregulated fees, leading to financial strain and unpredictability in operational expenses,” he said.
These undocumented payments are perceived as necessary to expedite the licensing process, creating ethical and compliance dilemmas, he added.
“High levels of corruption can impact all business sectors, with 100% of large companies, 66.67% of medium-sized enterprises, and 61.9% of small and micro enterprises reporting it as a major issue.”
He also said about 58.6% of businesses report that bribes are common in awarding public contracts and licences.
The timeline for obtaining and renewing licences often exceeds the official period, leading to significant delays.
For example, a trade licence renewal, which officially takes no more than seven business days, often spans 10 to 15 days due to inefficiencies and additional fees, according to the CPD research director’s presentation.
Delays disrupt business operations, hinder expansion plans, and reduce investor confidence, he noted.
Due to complications, many businesses used to hire third-party agents to navigate bureaucratic hurdles and manage which also increased the cost of business, said Dr Moazzem.
The economist also recommended making the process transparent with digitisation, as it could be utilised to reduce such corruption and undocumented payments.
Ahsanul Islam Titu, state minister for Commerce, was the chief guest of the event and Lokman Hossain Mia, executive chairman of the Investment Development Authority (BIDA) attended as special guest. FBCCI President Mahbubul Alam chaired the seminar.
কয়লা বিদ্যুৎ থেকে গার্মেন্টস পণ্য উৎপাদন করলে ইউরোপে বাজার কমে আসবে। এক্ষেত্রে গার্মেন্টসের বাজার ধরে রাখতে হলে গ্রীন এনার্জির বিকল্প নেই বলে জানিয়েছেন বিদ্যুৎ, জ্বালানি ও খনিজ সম্পদ প্রতিমন্ত্রী নসরুল হামিদ।
রাজধানীর ইঞ্জিনিয়ার্স ইনস্টিটিউশনে ‘দ্য ইঞ্জিনিয়ার্স ফর ট্রান্সফরমিং টেকনোলজি ড্রিভেন স্মার্ট বাংলাদেশ’ শীর্ষক সেমিনারের তিনি এসব কথা বলেন।
আধুনিক প্রযুক্তির সঙ্গে কৃত্রিম বুদ্ধিমত্তার প্রযোগ বাড়ানোর রোডম্যাপ করা হচ্ছে। এই কৃত্রিম বুদ্ধিমত্তা আমাদের দৈনন্দিন কাজ সহজ করে দিবে। কর্মক্ষত্রের সর্বস্তরে প্রযুক্তির ব্যবহার বাড়াতে ইঞ্জিনিয়ারদের দায়িত্বশীল অবদান রাখা উচিত বলে জানান প্রতিমন্ত্রী।
তিনি বলেন, ‘সরকারি প্রতিষ্ঠানের কর্মকর্তারা এখনো স্মার্ট প্রযুক্তির সঙ্গে মানিয়ে উঠতে পারেননি। তবে তাদের প্রশিক্ষণের ব্যবস্থা করা হচ্ছে।’
নসরুল হামিদ বলেন, ‘ডিজিটাল বাংলাদেশে কানেক্টিভিটি তৈরি হয়েছে, যা ‘স্মার্ট বাংলাদেশ’ বিনির্মাণের ভিত্তি। যেসব দেশ এক্ষেত্রে এগিয়ে আছে তাদের কাছ থেকে শিক্ষা নেয়া যেতে পারে। পড়াশুনা ও শিক্ষার মধ্যে থেকে উদ্ভাবন বাড়াতে হবে। বাংলাদেশের ইঞ্জিনিয়াররা যত দ্রুত প্রযুক্তিকে মানুষের কল্যাণের একটি শক্তি হিসেবে ব্যবহার করতে পারবে, দেশ তত দ্রুত উন্নত দেশে পরিণত হবে।’
বাংলাদেশের অর্থনীতির মূল চালিকা শক্তি বিদ্যুৎ ও জ্বালানি। এখাতে প্রযুক্তির ব্যবহার ক্রমাগত বাড়ছে। আগামীতে আরও বাড়ানো হচ্ছে বলে জানান তিনি।
প্রতিমন্ত্রী বলেন, ‘বিদ্যুতের স্মার্ট মিটারে সুফলতা মিলছে। বিতরণ কোম্পানিগুলো মিটারের মাধ্যমে এলাকাভিত্তিক চাহিদার হিসাব জানতে পারছে।’
৬১তম ইঞ্জিনিয়ার্স ইনস্টিটিউশনের কনভেনশনে ১০টি প্রবন্ধ উপস্থাপন করা হয়। মূল প্রবন্ধ উপস্থাপন করেন বুয়েটের অধ্যাপক ড. ইঞ্জিনিয়ার মুনাজ আহমেদ নুর ।
For the sustainable development of the garment industry in the country and to survive in the current competitive market, it is necessary to address three challenges on an urgent basis. These are – decarburization, coping with post transition from list of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and impact of fourth industrial revolution or automation of technology on production systems.
Figure: It is necessary to provide duty-free access to the import of raw materials for man-made fiber production. Courtesy: Collected
This information was presented in a keynote presentation titled ‘Bunon 2030: Policy-making Discussion’ at a round table meeting at a hotel in Gulshan in the capital on Saturday (May 11). It was presented by Zahedul Amin, Co-Founder and Director of Lightcastle Partners.
The country’s business consultancy firm Lightcastle Partners and Policy Exchange Bangladesh jointly organized this round table meeting. The round table meeting was organized to highlight the actions and recommendations to address the multi-faceted challenges in the garment industry for LDC transition and survival in the competitive market.
The round table meeting was moderated by Dr. M Masrur Riaz, Chairman of Policy Exchange Bangladesh. Aini Islam, Director of Program Development Department of Asia Foundation gave the opening speech.
According to the original article, the biggest crisis will come after transitioning from the list of Least Developed Countries (LDCs) in 2026. Due to LDCs, reduction of other trade benefits including Generalized Scheme of Preferences (GSP), increase in wages of workers, fear of international buyers and importers turning to countries producing garments at a lower cost than Bangladesh, non-compliance of some garment industry owners, will further exacerbate this crisis.
It is also said that according to the 2023 data of the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), Bangladesh currently ranks second in the world as a single country in the export of ready-made garments. Bangladesh exported garments worth $47 billion till February 2023-2024 fiscal year.
According to Bangladesh Bank, the contribution of this sector in GDP is 10.35 percent in the fiscal year 2023. It employs 4.1 million garment workers, 60 percent of whom are women. As a result, if these problems are not dealt with now, this industry as well as the economy as a whole may be negatively affected.
Among the dignitaries who spoke were Md. Salim Hossain, Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce; Md. Ariful Haque, Director General of Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA); Md. Abdur Rahim Khan, Directorate General of Factory and Establishment Inspection; Mohammad Hatem, Executive President of Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA); Kazi Faisal Bin Siraj, Bangladesh Representative of The Asia Foundation and other officials.
Deputy Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce Md. Salim Hossain said diversification of export products under the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is necessary to face the challenges of the garment industry. In that case, Bangladesh can adopt a production based, creative and timely business model.
Mohammad Hatem said that to diversify fiber production, it is necessary to provide duty-free access to the import of raw materials for man-made fiber (MMF) production.
Director General of BIDA Ariful Haque said that an effective export-oriented policy is needed according to the current and future needs of the country’s garment sector. For this, the policy makers can take the advice of the famous consultancy firms of the country.
Inspector General of Factories and Institutions Inspection Department Md. Abdur Rahim Khan urged Bangladesh to follow successful models like India’s Product Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme to increase garment exports and market expansion.
The government is taking steps to address the issue of cheap raw-jute exports to India, which has been putting negative impacts on the country’s jute industry.
State minister for commerce Ahsanul Islam Titu has proposed imposing tariffs on raw jute exports – a move supported by jute mill owners and other industry stakeholders.
“We’ll impose tariffs on raw jute exports and set a minimum export price for the golden fibre. This action will safeguard local industries, ensure better prices for farmers and increase government revenues,” he said.
Mr Titu said this while addressing a discussion on the supply of raw jute and the condition of local factories organised by the Bangladesh Jute Mills Association (BJMA) at its auditorium in the capital on Monday.
During the meeting, it was agreed that a minimum export price (MEP) for raw jute would be set.
BJMA president Abul Hossain chaired the event while senior commerce secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh and FBCCI president Mahbubul Alam also spoke on the occasion.
Mr Hossain says there is an urgent need to address various challenges the industry has been facing for last few years.
He also highlighted the need for cancelling anti-dumping duties imposed by India, the abolition of the 2.0-percent source tax on raw jute, the supply of quality jute seeds and 30-percent cash assistance for the renewal of machinery in jute mills.
Responding to these concerns, the state minister said: “We’ve initiated discussions with India about the anti-dumping duties. We’ll continue these discussions once the elections in India are concluded.”
Mr Titu says, “We need effective implementation of the mandatory jute packaging law to increase the use of jute.”
He pledged strong cooperation between the ministry of textiles and jute and the commerce to ensure proper supervision and assistance in jute exports.
Agreeing to another demand of the BJMA during the meeting, the state minister said currently, raw jute is being exported via trucks through various ports, and the exact amount of jute export is unknown.
As a result, the ministry has decided to make shipping mandatory for jute exports.
The commerce ministry will also address this issue accordingly.
The meeting also addressed the issue of jute seed shortage, with stakeholders highlighting the need for policy support to address this crisis.
Speaking on the occasion, Mahbubul Alam said there is a critical need to recognise jute as an agricultural product.
He has urged the government to take necessary steps to support jute farmers and industries.
In his address, Tapan Kanti Ghosh, said: “At one point, we halted the export of raw jute. Upon your request, we resumed it. However, it is crucial to evaluate the effectiveness of this export. Furthermore, there are issues regarding cash incentives, which could be redirected from the export stage to the production stage, providing significant benefits.”
Speaking about the classification of jute as an agricultural product, he said, “Jute has been categorised as an agricultural product since 2023. Nevertheless, we are currently exploring whether jute products should also be classified as processed agricultural products.”
According to the BJMA, Bangladesh annually exports jute and jute goods worth nearly $1.0 billion.
Lawmaker Nabil Ahmed, BJMA vice-president Rabiul Ahsan, its directors Giridhari Lal Modi, Md Shahjahan, secretary general Bariq Khan, also spoke, among others.
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) moves to build a database of global apparel buyers engaged in fraudulent activities or contractual breaches, causing financial losses for local exporters.
“A number of our members have been cheated by a small number of foreign buyers. The BGMEA is taking steps to prevent such fraud,” said a BGMEA circular issued on Saturday to all of its members.
The notification requested the members to submit details of fraud or suspicious activities by May 16 using a designated form.
“This matter is urgent,” the notification concluded.
Sources said the move follows a recent rise in such incidents reported by BGMEA members. The apparel association will collect documentation from factories unwilling to continue business with specific global buyers due to doubts about their practices.
In a December 5, 2023 circular, the BGMEA advised members to cease business with Topland International (HK) and its parent company, Celebrity Pink, citing alleged contractual violations.
The circular accused Topland of issuing letters of credit (L/Cs) or work orders that obligated Bangladeshi factories to purchase raw materials from specific suppliers designated by Topland. This allegedly caused delays in manufacturing and exports due to unreliable deliveries from these nominated suppliers.
On May 30, 2023, the BGMEA issued another warning to member factories, urging them to avoid business dealings with Hapa Fashion Pvt Ltd.
The trade body alleged the company issued faulty L/Cs or work orders, forcing factories to purchase essential materials exclusively from its designated suppliers.
Because of late deliveries from these nominated suppliers, three BGMEA members complained about facing difficulties in exporting goods on time.
According to the BGMEA, Hapa Fashion even did not comply with the decision its arbitration tribunal made in presence of both the parties.
“There are some so-called buying houses engaging in fraudulent activities in various ways, including issuing fake documents,” said BGMEA President SM Mannan Kochi. “These frauds cause financial problems for garment manufacturers.”
“We want to warn our members by identifying these companies,” he told The Financial Express on Sunday.
BGMEA Vice President Arshad Jamal Dipu said there have been some disputes over issues like those mentioned.
“Nowadays, many orders are placed based on contracts instead of LCs,” he added. “Factories purchase raw materials through back-to-back LCs from their lien banks against these contracts. However, they often face difficulties in this process.”
Mr Dipu said there are some middlemen who have caused problems for factories on multiple occasions, including during the ongoing dollar crisis.
In textile manufacturing, crease marks pose significant challenges, detracting from fabric quality and impacting businesses. Causes range from operational errors to material properties. Such flaws lead to increased rejection rates, higher production costs, and diminished brand reputation. Understanding these issues is crucial for implementing effective strategies to mitigate crease formation and maintain competitiveness in the market.
Crease marks cause factors such as fabric load, bleaching, nozzle diameter, and yarn tightness contribute to creasing. Optimizing cycle time and implementing smart storage solutions are essential for minimizing crease impact.
Figure 1: Crease mark defects in fabric.
Causes of crease marks on knit fabric
Issues contributing to crease marks in the dyeing processes include fabric overload or underload in the dyeing machine, which can cause crease marks due to improper tension. Improper bleaching, such as over-bleaching, weakens fibers, increasing susceptibility to creasing. Nozzle diameter and entry angle errors result in fabric bunching and uneven tension. High fabric loading speeds stress fabric, leading to abrasion and weakened fibers prone to creasing. Temperature gradient errors from incorrect control or improper grading systems cause thermal shock to fabric fibers, damaging their internal structure. Optimizing cycle time is crucial for uniform dyeing and minimizing crease formation. Excessively tight knitting creates stiffness in the fabric, affecting its drape and creating new crease lines. Extended storage, especially in compressed or folded conditions, allows wrinkles to set, leading to permanent crease marks. Stitch length in knitting influences crease formation and should be adjusted according to fabric type and GSM following standard operating procedures.
Figure 2: Factors of creating Crease mark in fabric.
Crease marks can be particularly noticeable and challenging to eliminate as it’s caused by lots of factors as mentioned above. The countermeasures against crease marks is given below.
Potential countermeasures
Optimum yarn tension: Maintaining appropriate tension levels during knitting processes is critical to minimize crease formation. Monitoring and adjusting machine settings, such as yarn tension can help achieve uniform fabric tension and reduce the likelihood of crease marks.
Roll-wise fabric storage: After inspection, fabric transitions to the storage section, often in a rough and tumble manner. To enhance, organize, and minimize wrinkles, implement a fabric roll device. This ensures a more orderly storage process.
Nozzle diameter increase: Smaller nozzle diameters may result in high load and excessive pressure during dyeing, leading to crease marks. As per Industry experts nozzle diameter less than 140mm causes permanent crease marks.
Anti-creasing agents: Exploring proper anti-crease agents can enhance the fabric’s resistance to crease formation.
Stitch Length: For 180 GSM fabric with 24s comb compact yarn, it is recommended to maintain a range between 2.75 mm to 2.85 mm, with higher values required for darker shades to optimize dye penetration.
Temperature Gradient: To prevent thermal shock, it is crucial to maintain a temperature gradient within the range of 2 to 4, ensuring stable fabric processing conditions.
Cycle Time: The standard cycle time for 180 GSM fabric is stipulated to be within the range of 2.7 min to 3 min. However, it is noteworthy that cycle time tends to increase proportionally with GSM increments.
Softener: Instead of silicone softener, consider the integration of a fatty acid-based alternative to preserve fabric flexibility and mitigate creasing tendencies.
Business case study
The business impact of crease marks in textile products encompasses buyer dissatisfaction and returns, as well as increased production costs and compromised profits. Creased garments are perceived as low-quality, tarnishing brand image and sales potential. Despite efforts to eliminate crease marks, they often persist, leading to either rejection by buyers or acceptance with commercial approval for minor creases. Both scenarios can detrimentally affect business operations. Additionally, crease marks indicate poor fabric quality, resulting in rejected or reprocessed products, escalating production costs and reducing profit margins. Material consumption rises due to reprocessing, while lead times and machine engagement are affected, further compromising profitability for textile manufacturers.
To create a sustainable apparel manufacturing supply chain, ensure more value addition in apparel export and attain $100-billion apparel shipment target by 2030, it is high time to take the primary textile sector to the next level.
The primary textile sector provides the raw materials and foundational processes necessary for garment production. By improving this sector’s capabilities in areas such as yarn production, fabric weaving, and dyeing, the overall quality and variety of materials available for garment manufacturing can be enhanced. This, in turn, enables garment manufacturers to add more value to their products through diverse fabric options, innovative designs, and improved quality control measures.
The value addition in Bangladesh’s apparel export is more than 60 per cent when local yarn and fabrics are used to make garments. However, the value addition is 30 per cent when yarn and fabrics are imported from foreign market, according to the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA).
Apparel manufactures are adding value using local yarn, fabric and accessories. Now-a-day, many of them are using high end fabrics to make trendy attire analyzing consumer behavior. Value addition for fabrics refers to the systematic enhancement of fabric quality, aesthetics, functionality, and overall worth. This multifaceted process encompasses the application of diverse techniques, treatments, or processes aimed at elevating the visual appeal, performance, and utility of textiles.
Textile millers are diversifying their product ranges due to the rise on uses of local yarn and fabrics by the garment exporters. Producing yarn and fabrics require importing a huge amount of chemicals and dyestuffs. The more the garment manufacturers purchase the local fabrics, the more chemicals and dyestuffs are sold for washing and dyeing purposes. The more value addition yarn and fabric manufacturers will willing to ensure in their products, the more sustainable and specialty chemicals and dyestuffs will be used in fabric manufacturing.
Earlier, a report forecast that Bangladesh’s textile chemicals market will be $1.38 billion worth in 2024 which was $864 million in 2018. The demand of chemical is mostly meet by chemicals that are exported. The local production of chemicals is not sufficient to meet the demand, but reliance on imports should be reduced.
“Instead of importing chemicals from abroad, textile mills can save valuable foreign currency, reduce their inventory, and ease the lead time of garments export if they buy from local textile auxiliaries manufacturing companies,” recently in a conversation with Textile Today Md. Amanur Rahman, Managing Director of Dysin Group, said this.
“Reducing chemical and dyestuffs export and increasing uses of the locally produced chemical and dyestuffs can add more value in the overall apparel industry,” he added.
Using manmade fibre (MMF) is another way to add more value. Our exporters mostly dependent on exported MMF. As MMF production status is still insignificant in Bangladesh.
However, according to the recent data of Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), around 85-90% yarn demand for knit RMG and 35-40% yarn demand for woven RMG are met by primary textile sector.
Local fabric demand i.e 7 billion meter of fabric are being produced locally to meet the domestic requirement and the yarn demand for handloom are also met by primary textile sector.
Current state of local value addition
Local value addition in the readymade garment (RMG) exports is increasing, indicating a shift towards higher-quality products and enhanced competitiveness in global markets. According to a report titled “Quarterly Report on RMG” released by Bangladesh Bank showed that the value addition in the RMG export increased by 11.59% over a one-year period.
The report said that the value addition in the RMG export was 54.38% in FY2021-22, which climbed to 65.97% in FY2022-23.
The central bank obtained export data from the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) and sourced raw material import information from the Bangladesh Bank’s Foreign Exchange Operations Department, primarily gathered through back-to-back letters of credit.
The report said that in FY22, Bangladesh exported worth $46.99 billion RMG items for which the country imported raw materials like cotton, yarn, fabric, equipment and others worth $15.99 billion, meaning the net export of the RMG was $31.0 billion-dollar, accounting for 65.97% of value addition.
In FY22, Bangladesh exported RMG worth $42.61 billion. To produce that $19.44 billion was spent on importing raw materials. So, the export of net RMG was $23.17 billion and the value addition in apparel exports stood at 54.38% in that financial year.
Driving forces behind the value addition
Value addition is crucial for differentiating products in the market and meeting consumer demands. Incorporating value addition into the production of apparel products is also essential for creating a healthy supply chain, which is important for the long-term success and viability of the industry.
Now-a-day, international clothing retailers and brands are demanding a significantly shorter lead time to catch business in line with the recovery in the global supply chain from the severe fallouts of the pandemic and Russia-Ukraine war, so that garments exporters are relying more on local primary textile suppliers.
Global retailers and brands are eager for fresh fashion items, eyeing to expand sales seasons from six or eight to twelve due to heightened competition. Consequently, they demand swift delivery, often opting for costly air shipments instead of the traditional sea route.
Following such a change in the business behavior of international retailers and brands, the local garment suppliers, textile millers, weavers, spinners and knitters have also changed their production and procurement behavior to match up.
The local garment suppliers started procuring fabrics from local sources instead of imported fabrics to comply with demands for a shorter lead time.
Currently, international retailers and brands demand a lead time of 45 days to 60 days as opposed to the previous 90 days and 120 days for the delivery of goods.
Challenges ahead
Though Bangladesh is not a textile giant like India, Pakistan, or China, the primary textiles sector of the country always had a dominating presence in its apparel manufacturing sector. But the sector is suffering with many challenges, hindering value addition to the garment exports.
Some of the common challenges the sector is facing are raw material prices, increased production cost and gas shortage, the sector.
However, one of the major challenges in the Bangladesh textiles industry include an increase in competition as a result of cheap imports of yarn and fabrics from India, China, and Pakistan.
These nations are encouraged by their governments to engage in such trade practices. For instance, China offers exporters a cash return ranging from 15% to 20% when they sell goods to countries like Bangladesh.
The act of yarn-dumping, where India and China sell yarn at prices up to 30% lower than local production costs, severely hampers the ability of local textile industries to compete. Consequently, numerous textile companies find themselves forced out of the market due to an inability to maintain profitability.
This challenge is further exacerbated by local Ready-Made Garment (RMG) businesses importing raw materials via bonded warehouses, which are exempt from tariffs.
Md. Amanur Rahman pointed out the struggle primary textile sector is facing saying, “Duty drawback in many countries is automated. In Singapore, as exporter whatever GST you pay in the input, you will get refund of the input GST. And the process is fully automated. But in Bangladesh the process and regulation of duty drawback is very lengthy and clumsy. So that most of the industrialists of Bangladesh choose bond facility skipping duty drawback system. Because in bond facility they do not need to pay duty rather they can enjoy duty free import of input materials which puts the primary textile sector in jeopardy.”
Some companies unethically misusing the bonded warehouse facility affecting government revenue earning as well as impacting on primary textile sector. Customs has detected some irregularities and found that those products are often sold in the open market. Transparency and accountability should be ensure to eliminate the misuse of bonded warehouse facility.
Also, faster duty drawback process, stronger anti-dumping policies will need to be implemented by the government to protect the PTS. In addition to this, there must be greater regulation to prevent cases of smuggling of yarn and improper Utilization Declaration (UD) Certification in the case of RMG.
Apparel exporter should keep in mind that while they are thinking that low yarn prices as an advantage for the apparel exporting sector, it creates a problem of not being able to generate sufficient added value in the case of the final product and reduce net profit.
As Bangladesh strives to maintain its foothold in the global textile industry, it becomes crucial to shift focus towards value added products, particularly man-made fibers. With the fashion landscape evolving rapidly, man made fibers emerge as the future of the industry, Given Bangladesh’s heavy reliance on cotton, now is the opportune moment to transition towards man-made fibers, particularly polyester.
Amidst the backdrop of escalating labor, gas and electricity costs, which have surged by 156% reaching Tk 30.75, the need for strategic shifts towards value added products becomes even more pronounced. To remain competitive in the global textile market and achieve its ambitious target of $100 billion by 2023, Bangladesh must embrace polyester as a potential game-changer.
Global market analysis for Polyester Polyester dominates global textiles, constituting 54% of total fiber production, reaching 60.5 million tonnes in 2021. The polyester fiber market was worth over USD 90 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 7.8% from 2021 to 2027. Growth is fueled by textile industry demand, fashion sector expansion, and consumer preference for blended polyester. In 2023, polyester market share by application was: Furnishing (30.55%), Textile (19.44%), Clothing (13.89%), Other (36.11%).
Bangladesh current situation
Bangladesh’s textile and apparel industry primarily relies on cotton, with only 26% of products being man-made fiber (MMF)-based, in contrast to the global trend where 78% of items are MMF-based. Despite this, Bangladesh has emerged as a significant player in ready-made clothing, with over 4600 factories and 430 spinning mills, albeit with only a fraction producing synthetic fibers like polyester.
In recent years, Bangladesh has imported significant amounts of Polyester Staple Fiber (PSF), mainly from China, India, and South Korea. The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) aims to increase MMF-based apparel exports from 26% to 40% by 2030, reflecting the growing global demand for polyester-based clothing.
Figure: Polyester market share% in 2023 as per application
With polyester derivatives constituting 74% of global apparel sales, there’s a lucrative opportunity for Bangladesh to tap into the $750 billion worldwide market by focusing more on polyester-based garments. Research suggests that if Bangladesh can increase its MMF-based garment shipments alongside cotton-based products, it could potentially earn $95 billion from ready-made garment exports by 2030.
Challenges to manufacture 100% polyester
Bangladesh textile industries already processing polyester derivatives (CVC/PC). Bangladesh dye houses have sufficient technologies to handle polyester. Dye houses employ MCS, Athena 3A, multi-flow machines, Fong’s, etc. to dye polyester & its derivatives.
But Bangladesh are not capable of manufacturing 100% polyester because of some challenges. The challenges are:
Raw Material Availability: Polyester yarn production heavily relies on the availability and cost of raw materials. Fluctuating prices and supply chain disruptions pose challenges for manufacturers.
Cost Competitiveness: With increasing global competition, polyester yarn manufacturers in Bangladesh face the challenge of maintaining fabric manufacturers cost competitiveness. Factors like energy costs, labor wages can impact the overall cost structure.
Expertise: Bangladesh has less experts to manufacture polyester.
Skilled man power: As Bangladesh polyester plants are limited there are limited skilled worker.
Technology : for knitting & spinning 100% polyester, there are limited technology available in Bangladesh.
Investment : It is very costly to go for 100% polyester plant. As Bangladesh doesn’t have sufficient technology and expertise.
It’s critical to concentrate on polyester in RMG to provide value-added products. But by overcoming those challenges by strategic planning, technological advancements, and sustainable manufacturing practices Bangladesh textile sector can switch toward polyester and go for value-added products.
