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Three important state offices -- bond, customs and ports -- need to deliver services faster to retain Bangladesh’s competitiveness in the global export markets, said Md Siddiqur Rahman, a former president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA).

Business is affected when these offices make abnormal delays in releasing goods and documents, he said.

The South Asian Free Trade Area could be looked at again for easy availability of industrial raw materials at competitive prices to reduce dependency on single sources, said Md Saiful Islam, president of the Leathergoods and Footwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association of Bangladesh.

Increasing work orders from international retailers and brands will definitely help knitwear exports to grow, said Mohammad Hatem, first vice-president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association.

Merchandise export was supposed to reach $60 billion in 2021, with garments accounting for some $50 billion, but faced a setback for Covid-19’s fallouts on the global supply chain, said Commerce Secretary Tapan Kanti Ghosh.

AHM Ahsan, vice-chairman of the Export Promotion Bureau, thanked local exporters, manufacturers and workers for continuing to work defying the severity of the pandemic.