& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

APPAREL

Ha-Meem staging a comeback

Refayet Ullah Mirdha
It Is rising from the ashes: I la-Meem (houp.
The local apparel giant is pledge-bound and is trying all out to ensure Its shipments to foreign buyers in time.
The group that lost aroundTk 150 crore in an arson attack on June 29 has already started partial production of sweater at a nearby building of the burnt down factories in Ashulia on the outskirts of Dhaka.
According to its revival plan, the group would import some machinery from China by air soon to start production at a makeshift plant, as this is the peak season for sweater production.
But such a comeback Is very difficult, although it is not impossible, said the shocked but unwavering Managing Director of Ha Meern Group, AK Azad, in an exclusive interview with The Daily Star.
Azad, who started his journey as an apparel entrepreneur in 1984, said he would also produce goods through subcontracting to meet the shipment deadline.
He said the group has stocks of yarn In other factories from where a good number of sweaters could be made at tire makeshift building.
More than 700,000 pieces of ready sweater on different floors of the factory were burnt to ashes during the attack, Azad said.
The major problem for the group now is that during the assault all the sample designs supplied by the international buyers were burnt down. He said he would bring the samples from the buyers soon to start production of the sweaters.
The group would try to deliver the goods to its buyers from the raw materials from other units of the group. GAR H and M, Tesco, Osskos and Florea! are the major buyers of the group.
According to a primary assessment, the group lost Tk 150 crore due to the fire, which is now a threat to achieving its set target at $ 175 million for 2009-10 fiscal year.
The group earned $150 million in fiscal 2008 09.
The total number of workers of the group's apparel and textile division is
30.000 and in the sweater unit the number is 4,000. The export from sweater unit was $15 million last fiscal year.
Azad met Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday and demanded immediate introduction of industrial police to ensure security for the country’s industrial sector.
About the latest bout of garment violence, he said the role of the police during the attack raised doubts, as they did not rush to the spot although they were just standingoutside the factory
On labour issues, Ha-Meem Group chief said they exchange views with the workers regularly so that any problem can be solved through discussion "Our payment to the workers is also regular as we are making good business," he said.
An entrepreneurial mind always looks for expansion of businesses, he said, adding that the group was planning for further expansion, but the arson attack has held back the plan.
"If the government can ensure proper law and order situation, I will go for expan slon, otherwise not," he said.
About the current situation of RMG business, Azad said Bangladesh still has an ample opportunity in this business as the shares of the country in global market are increasing.
Ha-Meem sends its 90 percent products to USA and the rest to European countries although it has many other potential destinations around the globe, Azad said.
He said Bangladesh should explore such new destinations as New Zealand. Canada, Japan, China, South Africa, Brazil and other South American countries.
"The future of Bangladesh's apparel business is bright, but it depends on a stable law and order situation," the prudent entrepreneur said.
reefat@thedailystar.net