The Bangladesh Apparel Fair. BAF '96. Bangladesh s biggest ever single country apparel fair at the non-govern-ment level, began in the US city of Los Angeles on Tuesday, said a press release of the Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) yesterday

Consul General of Bangladesh in Los Angeles Mo-hammedal-Haroon addressing the Inaugural ceremony of the three-day fair said, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has been giving the highest priority to the economic development of the country by promoting the export-oriented industries.

Stressing the need for strengthening the existing trade relations between Bangladesh and the United States, he urged the US business leaders to ex ploit the excellent' investment opportunities Bangladesh was offering to the foreign investors. Some 45 apparel rnanu factoring and exporting com panics of Bangladesh are parUc ipating in the fair which has been organised jointly by the

BGMEA and the Consulate Gen era! of Bangladesh in Los Ange

The fair was inaugurated by Tom Teofllo. President of Greater Los Angeles World Trade Center Association. The inaugural function was ad dressed by. among others. Red-wan Ahmed. President. BGMEA. Ms Lourdes Z Saab. Chief of Protocol, City of Los Angeles. James C Newton, Director. Ex port Finance Office. California Trade and Commerce Agency, State of California and Robert E Berg. Executive Director. Textile Association of Los Angeles

Teofllo in his inaugural speech said, the BAF 96 Is a ma jor step towards expanding Bangladesh s apparel exports to the West Coast of the USA

Redwan Ahmed said. Bangladesh's industrial zones were located In the flood-free areas and as such floods could not affect the country’s rail ways, high ways and other in frastructure. He put emphasis on hard work Io change the country's negative Image abroad.