CPD RMG Study Stitching a better future for Bangladesh
Originally posted in The Daily Star on 13 March 2022
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the American Apparel and Footwear Association (AAFA) to reinstate GSP status in the American market for local merchandise.
AAFA President and CEO Steve Lamar and BGMEA President Faruque Hassan signed the MoU between the two organisations in Washington, DC during the annual AAFA Executive Summit on March 10.
“Together, we aim to unlock the potential of Bangladesh’s garment sector by enhancing competitiveness through building capacities, embracing innovation and technology, and facilitating trade access to the US market,” Hassan said in a statement yesterday.
AAFA’s comprehensive work ensures the continued success and growth of the global apparel and footwear industry, its suppliers, and customers.
“With this in mind, agreements with strategic partners around the world help reduce trade barriers, encourage sharing of Environment and Social Governance (ESG) best practices, and promote innovation on behalf of our members,” said AAFA President Lamar.
As per the understanding, the AAFA will support Bangladesh in promoting its trade interests in the US market, especially advocating the withdrawal of GSP suspension to recognise the progress made in the local industry in areas of workplace safety, worker well-being and environmental sustainability.
The AAFA, a trusted public policy and political voice of the apparel and footwear industry, will also work closely with the BGMEA to advocate improved trade preferences and programmes between the US and Bangladesh.
The AAFA, which represents more than 1,000 world famous brands, retailers, and manufacturers, along with the BGMEA will try to improve the partnership between buyers and suppliers through responsible purchasing practices.
They will also work collaboratively on capacity building to cut time and cost to make the supply chain more sustainable via developing joint programmes to train workers and mid to top management, and a special collaboration with the BGMEA Center of Innovation.
The two associations will inspire buyer-supplier collaboration to upscale product development and innovation capability to explore untapped segments of the export market via joint research, coaching programmes, sharing of knowledge and information like fashion trend analysis and forecasting, matchmaking events and media campaigns.
They will also work on creating joint scoping missions to explore bilateral investment opportunities, particularly in backward linkage textile industries in Bangladesh, especially in the non-cotton segment.
The AAFA and BGMEA will collaborate to deepen discussions towards a unified code of conduct, or unified approach, for social and environmental audits in manufacturing facilities via setting up of a joint committee with clear terms of engagement.
Earlier, the US government suspended the GSP status for Bangladesh on June 27, 2013, citing the bad working environment in the garment factories and poor labour rights.
However, with the recommendations of the American government, Bangladesh improved the workplace safety, amended labour laws and submitted progress reports to the United States Trade Representative for reinstating GSP status twice.
However, it has not been reinstated by the American government yet.
