January 30, 2017 Some news highlights relevant to RMG sector: Director at Bangladesh Foreign Trade Institute (BFTI) Amitava Chakraverty said, Bangladesh Accreditation Board (BAB) is not fully capable of providing accreditation to all certifying institutes. In addition, all the existing labs are not adequately equipped for testing and inspection.

Some news highlights relevant to RMG sector: Bangladesh Ambassador to the US Mohammad Ziauddin requested Senator Roger Wicker to give duty-free access to Bangladeshi products to USA last week.

Some news highlights relevant to RMG sector: Read the letter to Sheikh Hasina from American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) for timely resolution of those arrested in Ashulia unrest and implementation of wage board for RMG sector. https://www.wewear.org/assets/1/7/bangladeshaafaltr1701-final170123.pdf

Some news highlights relevant to RMG sector: Read the letter to international brands sourcing from Bangladesh from 22 rights groups to release imprisoned union leaders and reinstatement of 1,500 suspended workers ...

বেসরকারি গবেষণা সংস্থা সেন্টার ফর পলিসি ডায়ালগ (সিপিডি)-এর রিসার্স ফেলো তৌফিকুল ইসলাম খান বাংলাদেশ প্রতিদিনকে বলেন, পণ্য আমদানি-রপ্তানির ক্ষেত্রে ওভার ইনভয়েসিং ও আন্ডার ইনভয়েসিংয়ের ঘটনা আমরা শুনে আসছি। তবে সবচেয়ে ভয়ঙ্কর তথ্য কাস্টমসের কাছ থেকে আমরা জানতে পারছি, সেটা হচ্ছে : শত শত কনটেইনার পণ্য রপ্তানি করে এক ডলার ফেরত না আনা। তাহলে প্রশ্ন উঠে এই অর্থ যাচ্ছে কোথায়?

Some news highlights relevant to RMG sector: Bangladesh Cotton Association (BCA) targets to produce 10 per cent of Bangladesh’s annual demand from domestic growers by 2025. Currently Bangladesh grows only 1 per cent of total cotton demand in a year. Ispahani, Amber and Square have started contracting farmers to grow cotton.

Some news highlights relevant to RMG sector: At Indo-Bangladesh Multi Sectoral Cooperation International Conference the Indian Textile Minister Smriti Irani emphasized that both the countries can cooperate on jute industry and fabric sector on issues on standards and non-tariff barriers.

Some news highlights relevant to RMG sector: BKMEA and BGMEA participates in conference in Cambodia. The focus of the first-ever Bangladesh Trade and Investment Conference was jointly organised by Ministry of Commerce of the Kingdom of Cambodia and Bangladesh Embassy in Bangkok. A total of Rs 80 million transacted at the 3rd Nepal – Bangladesh Trade Expo in Kathmandu ...

Executive director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD) Mustafizur Rahman sees the US pullout from the TPP as a sort of relief for Bangladesh since Vietnam could have enjoyed tariff preferences on the US market under such arrangement.

“The TPP was a matter of worry for us as Vietnam was a member of this trade bloc. So, it is good news for us that the deal has been scrapped,” said Mustafizur Rahman, executive director of the Centre for Policy Dialogue (CPD), a private think tank.