The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has sought Swedish support to pursue its efforts towards ensuring sustainable growth through innovation, technology transfer, and diversifying products.
The local export-oriented ready-made garment (RMG) industry is aspiring to enhance its competitiveness through diversifying products, upgrading technologies, adopting innovative production solutions, and developing skills of workforce, said BGMEA President Faruque Hassan.
Bangladesh and Sweden have considerable scopes for deriving mutual benefits by strengthening and expanding collaboration in various potential areas of trade and investment, he noted.
The views were expressed at a meeting when Ambassador of Sweden to Bangladesh Alex Berg von Linde called on the BGMEA president at the latter's office in the city on Tuesday.
They also discussed how Sweden could support the sustainable development of Bangladesh's RMG industry, which aims to amplify its efforts to pursue growth in a sustainable manner to make positive impacts on the people and the planet.
At the meeting, Mr Faruque Hassan said, "While we are giving utmost importance to building our capacities, we are also equally giving priority to the issue of sustainability in the local RMG industry. The industry's growth vision is aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)."
Sweden could support the industry in the areas of renewable energy, innovation, technology transfer, and green growth, he opined.
The BGMEA invited the envoy to the "Made in Bangladesh Week" - scheduled to begin on November 12, showcasing the prospects and strengths of the RMG industry.
The Swedish ambassador applauded the leadership role of Bangladesh's RMG industry in ensuring environmental sustainability, and also expressed high optimism over extending cooperation of Sweden to the industry to take further actions towards sustainability.
BGMEA vice presidents Shahidullah Azim and Md Nasir Uddin, directors Haroon Ar Rashid, Rajiv Chowdhury and Mijanur Rahman, Chair of BGMEA Standing Committee on Foreign Mission Cell Shams Mahmud, Chair of BGMEA Standing Committee on Cash Incentive Humayun Kabir Salim, and Chair of BGMEA Standing Committee on Scheduled Bank Md Israfil Atique were also present at the meeting, among others.
