The 4th edition of Sustainable Apparel Forum (SAF) stressed on the importance of making the shift from linear to circular model to accelerate the momentum of sustainability in Bangladesh apparel industry.
60 renowned speakers and 20 exhibitors from across the world gathered at the Forum organized by Bangladesh Apparel Exchange (BAE) at a city hotel on Thursday highlighted issues circularity, CO2 reductions and climate action, shifting to renewable energy, human rights due diligence.
Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi attended the inaugural plenary as chief guest. Distinguished guests and panelists of the different plenary sessions of the daylong forum include LGRD Minister Md. Tazul Islam, State Minister, Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Nasrul Hamid, ICT State Minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak, DNCC Mayor Md. Atiqul Islam, Saber Hossain Chowdhury MP, Chairman, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Peter D. Hass, Ambassador, U.S. Embassy in Bangladesh, Charles Whiteley, Ambassador and Head of Delegation, Delegation of the European Union in Bangladesh, Faruque Hassan, President, BGMEA and Managing Director, Giant Group, Md. Siddiqur Rahman, Former President, BGMEA & Chairman, Sterling Group, Fazlee Shamim Ehsan, Vice President, BKMEA & Founder of Fatullah Apparels,Salim Rahman, Managing Director-KDS & Chairman, Al-ArafahIslami Bank Ltd., Ranjan Mahtani, Executive Chairman, Epic Group,Naureen Chowdhury, Head of Labour Rights Programme, Laudes Foundation, Tuomo Poutiainen, Country Director, International Labour Organization (ILO).
A roundtable discussion titled ‘The Journey Towards Circular Fashion in Bangladesh’ has been also organized in the 4th SAF.
In the roundtable moderated by Barrister Vidiya Amrit Khan, Director of BGMEA, participants who are comprised of apparel and textile manufacturers, buyers, embassies, recyclers and global organizations promoting sustainability, has opined that the circularity can greatly contribute to achieve the USD 100 billion export target of Bangladesh apparel industry by the year 2030.
In the SAF the launching of project ‘Closing the Loop on Textile Waste’ was also announced.
The project being implemented by Bangladesh Apparel Exchange, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), the Dutch based organization Enviu and Belgium based recycler Purfi that’s funded by Partnering for Green Growth & the Global Goals 2030(P4G), aims to build a circular and inclusive textile value chain in Bangladesh and Kenya.
