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Garment exporters seek improved port facilities

Batexpo 2003 begins Monday

STAR BUSINESS REPORT
Garment manufacturers and exporters have sought lower interest rates and improved port facilities to help them face the quota-free regime after 2004.
"Reduction in interest rates on loans will also increase investment in Bangladesh's apparel sector, the highest export earner, " BGMEA President Quazi Moniruzzaman told a press conference in Dhaka yesterday.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) organised the press conference ahead of its biggest apparel exposition, Batexpo 2003, that begins Monday at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel in Dhaka.
The BGMEA, in collaboration with Prime Bank Ltd and DHL, is organising the three-day annual extravaganza of ready made garment (RMG) products and accessories bringing together local manufacturers and foreign buyers.
A total of 72 organisations, including 34 members of BGMEA, 16 local and 10 foreign textile and accessories manufacturing companies, seven service organisations and five engineering and computer design and pattern firms, will take part in the show.
Prime Minister Khaleda Zia is expected to inaugurate the Batexpo 2003 on Monday while Leader of the
Opposition in Parliament Sheikh Hasina will attend the closing ceremony on Wednesday.
The BGMEA president said lending rate in China is only three per cent while it is 6-7 per cent in India and 7-8 per cent in Pakistan. Bangladesh's RMG export is facing stiff competition mainly with these countries.
"So the government should fix the rate for industrial loan in Bangladesh at seven to eight per cent," Quazi Moniruzzaman said.
If the bank interest rate is slashed, entrepreneurs will be encouraged to invest more in this sector taking the advantage of lower production cost. "This will ultimately help us create more employment opportunities," the BGMEA said.
The garment sector that employs two million workers, 80 per cent of them women, earned $4.9 billion in 2002-2003 fiscal year.
In reply to a question the BGMEA president said, "Maybe we're lagging behind China and India, but if we get policy support and the government takes necessary measures, we will not be out of business."
Suggesting changes in existing rules and regulations he said the government must allow setting up of a central bonded warehouse to cut the exporters' lead time and ensure apparel supply within 15 to 20 days.
Moniruzzaman stressed the
need for enhancing the overall capacity and efficiency of port and setting up a deep-water seaport to facilitate arrival of mother vessels.
"At present, the exporters have to send their consignments in feeder vessels up to Singapore or Colombo to reach the mother vessels. This takes seven to eight days extra time to export our products," he added.
The BGMEA president hope that this year's apparel exhibition would attract more foreign buyers, particularly in big numbers from Canada and Australia which granted dutyfree access of Bangladeshi products to their markets.
Asked about Bangladesh's plea for duty-free access of Bangladeshi products to US market, he said they were pursuing it at different levels of the US administration.
"The issue will be discussed again during the visit of the Bangladeshi caucus to Dhaka in January next year," Moniruzzaman said.
He said Bangladesh is now among the top 10 RMG suppliers in the EU and USA.
BGMEA leaders SM Nurul Haque, Shafiul Islam Mohiuddin, Mohsin Uddin Ahmed and Jinnat Ali Mia were present at the press conference held at the BTMC Bhaban.