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Tripartite meet to end apparel brawl

Shajahan Siraj sits with BGMEA, BTMA, BKMEA leaders Saturday

J.SIM UDDIN KH.N and S.RW.R . CHoWDHURY
Three principal trade bodies of the country's apparel sector on Saturday will sit in a meeting convened by Jute and Textile Minister Shajahan Siraj in an attempt to hammer out a solution to their recent bitter disputes.
Shajahan Siraj on Sunday invited Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) to the meeting.
The minister has talked with the
association leaders over telephone and urged them not to make any further comments on the disputed issues in the meantime.
The leaders of BGMEA, BTMA and BKMEA have acknowledged that the current wrangling over allegations of bonded warehouse leakage, under-invoicing and smuggling of fabrics has been a result of "misunderstanding and miscommunication".
"We didn't blame any particular trade body or agency for misuse of bond facilities, smuggling and underinvoicing. But, the menace still exists in the country, jeopardising
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the smooth growth of the primary textile industries," BTMA Chairman MA Awal told The Daily Star yesterday.
He said fabrics worth around $1.5 billion has illegally entered the country in the last nine months, while annual local consumption of fabrics is worth around $3 billion.
BGMEA President Annisul Huq said, "We'll join the tripartite meeting at the ministry. We hope it'll help mitigate the dissension among the trade bodies."
"System loss is there, more or less, in every sector across the world. If any one is found guilty of wrong doings, he should be punished," Huq added.
"We want to work together to face the challenges of open competition in the globalised market," BKMEA President Fazlul Haque said.
Trade experts said, if the volatile situation caused by the wrangling among the BGMEA, BTMA and BKMEA continues, it will hit the potential of the country's garment industry real hard.
At a press conference on July 16, MA Awal alleged the trend of smuggling through the porous border, import on fake declaration and underinvoicing has posed a serious threat to the local textile industry.
Both the BMGEA and BKMEA, whose members import fabrics as raw material, sharply reacted to the allegation.
On July 20, the BGMEA gave a seven-day ultimatum, saying they would go for legal action unless the BTMA makes an unconditional apology for its comments.
Following the BGMEA move, BKMEA leaders on July 21 also came down heavily on the BTMA for the remarks.