APTMA and BGMEA to enhance cooperation in garment manufacturing

• APTMA apprised about its vision of boosting exports
• Asad said stitching revolution will uplift textile exports
• Hamid Zaman proposed exchange of business delegations

LAHORE: All Pakistan Textile Mills Association (APTMA) and Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BGMEA) have agreed to enhance cooperation in the field of garment manufacturing.

An interactive session took place between APTMA North Zone and BGMEA Standing Committee on Utilization Declaration (UD) Automation on Friday. Mr. Hamid Zaman, Chairman APTMA North Zone, Vice Chairman Mr. Asad Shafi, Mr. Muhammad Ali Chaudhary, Mr. Ismail Fareed Sheikh, Mr. Shams Elahi, Mr. Ahsan Shahid, Mr. Abdullah Amer, Mr. S.M. Nabeel and Secretary General Mr. Raza Baqir were also present on the occasion.

Mr. Hamid Zaman, Chairman APTMA and Vice Chairman APTMA Mr. Asad Shafi apprised the meeting about the APTMA vision of boosting exports through setting up 1000 stitching units in Pakistan. Asad said the Patron-in-Chief APTMA Mr. Gohar Ejaz has envisioned to utilize surplus yarn and fabric valuing about $3 billion in local production of garments and other value added textile products by establishing 1000 garments units each costing $ 7 million and giving employment to 700 workers.

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He continued that this new addition of stitching units will have the potential to provide total employment to around one million people and additional exports of $ 210 billion leaving no need to beg all around the world for additional foreign exchange.

Asad said that the stitching revolution coupled with normal BMR and expansion will uplift total textile exports to $50 Billion in the next five years.

Chairman APTMA Mr. Hamid Zaman proposed exchange of business delegations of both the countries especially young entrepreneurs to learn from each other about modern techniques adopted by manufacturers of both the countries.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Yasir Obaid gave a brief history of evolution of textile industry in Bangladesh role of the government and efforts by Bangladeshi business persons in setting up industry on the modern lines and as per best practices of the world. He said that Bangladesh garment manufacturers have infused technology with production besides product diversification to obtain productive efficiency and increasing their product basket.

He said that Bangladeshi government has been proactive in supporting the garment manufacturers and exporters by providing facilities like bonded warehouses, duty free import of raw materials, and setting up of dedicated Industrial Police Units to ensure continuity of operations in total peace and tranquility.

He said all the regimes in Bangladesh, irrespective of their political ideologies on difference, have shown unanimity on prioritizing industry since day one, as no government has had ever created any impediment in its perpetual growth. He added that the garment sector in Bangladesh has always received a friendly response from the government policymakers.

Also, he added, multiple training programs are being run both in the public and private sectors in a quite homogeneous Bangladeshi society where garment workers are as common as fast bowlers in Pakistan.

Mr. Obaid said Bangladeshi government has also been very proactive in extending financial support to their garment manufacturers and exporters in the shape of various schemes like Technology Transfer Fund.

He said the BGMEA has installed UD software at the offices of all its member organizations to bring dynamism and transparency side by side reducing costs. He explained that UD is a high-performance computing system management and data centre automation software that simplifies the complex nature of documents related to importable raw materials from all customs ports.

Both the sides agreed to continue with more interactive sessions ahead in the larger interest of value added garment sectors of the two countries.