Bangladesh Apparel Young Leaders Association (BAYLA) has initiated a research program “Road to Recovery” and will publish a whitepaper on how to develop and strengthen the RMG industry as well as increase exports during or after the epidemic. As part of this research, BAYLA organized an online session on Sunday (August 8, 2021) entitled 'Revive the livelihood of RMG'. Barrister Shehrin Salam Oishee, Director of Envoy Group and BGMEA; Fazlee Shamim Ehsan, Managing Director of Fatullah Apparels and Director of BKMEA; and Shovon Islam, Managing Director of Sparrow Group were present as guests.
In terms of the economy, Bangladesh has achieved tremendous success in the last decade. And that success comes from the country's ready-made garment industry. Since gaining independence in 1971, Bangladesh has been moving fast on the world stage. Bangladesh is set to migrate from LDC to MDC in 2026. The country's largest export industry is the RMG sector, which accounts for more than 83% of total exports.
Covid-19 has affected the RMG industry the most. Since its outbreak, the industry has faced severe problems due to lack of order, financial issues, the shutdown of factories are among the major problems.
Moreover, the government closed all the factories in the country last month due to severe lockdown. However, the recent decision to open the factory has brought the industry back on track. Even so, the industry may face any situation due to the current pandemic.
The Bangladesh Apparel Young Leaders Association (BAYLA) has conducted a study on the recovery plan in Corona to alleviate the fears of industry owners in such a situation in the country.
The organization has arranged multiple focus group sessions, interviews, and surveys involving 250 apparel industry leaders on “Road to Recovery”.
In the online session presented by Sakib Ahmed, DMD of Broadway Group and SVP of BAYLA, Barrister Shehrin Salam Oishee, Director, Envoy Group and BGMEA, “The RMG is an international sector. Lockdown is not a complete solution when we think about the economy of a country, where different countries of the world have opened factories.”
Fazle Shamim Ehsan, managing director of Fatullah Apparels and director of BKMEA, said, “In the first year of Corona, 0.03% of the factory workers were affected. Which is very little, but this year is the exception. Even after that, the workers are being vaccinated as font liners with the help of the government. At the same time to increase the awareness of the workers, I am also arranging training in the factories. So that they can also make their families aware. We should also make guidelines according to the situation. Since when you think about the country's economy, we can’t think only of the shutdown. So, whatever the situation in Corona in the country, I have to find out how I can keep the factory running in that situation.”
