The Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) and the SouthAsia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF) have agreed to launch a study to track the changes in Bangladesh's export-oriented clothing and textile sector following the abolition of the quota system.

The study aims to assume a thought-leadership position on understanding and crafting policy responses to the unfolding restructuring in the sector.

Dr Debapriya Bhattacharya, executive director of CPD, and Deepak Adhikary, deputy general manager of SEDF, inked a memorandum to this effect in Dhaka on Thursday, says a press release.

The study through enterprise surveys and focus group discussions as well as review of other documents will generate information in the areas of investment trend and technological capability, production process and cost structure, employment composition and productivity, market linkages and compliance.

Based on the findings, the CPD-SEDF study will offer policy suggestions to improve competitiveness of the sector.

These suggestions are expected to help the state bodies, donor agencies, the RMG industry and other interested stakeholders to map out ways to take advantage of the expanding $300 billion global apparel market.

CPD and SEDF plan to start a dialogue and present the findings to all the key stakeholders so that certain time-bound actions can be taken for sustained growth of the clothing and textile sector of Bangladesh.

The study will be conducted in three phases and is expected to end by the end of 2007.