Bangladesh (Commonwealth Union)_ According to the President of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Faruque Hassan, Bangladesh and Australia have the potential to boost bilateral trade by strengthening collaboration and cooperation. According to him, trade between the two countries has grown significantly in recent years, with further opportunities still available to benefit both parties. Faruque made these comments during a meeting with Tim Watts MP, the Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Australian Government, in Dhaka.
Other prominent officials from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, including Brendan Hodgson, Director of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Maldives Section at Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade; Megan Jones, Assistant Secretary of Indian Ocean and South Asia Regional Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Australia; and Louisa Bochner, Adviser at office of the Assistant Minister for Foreign Affairs; and Jeremy Bruer, Australian High Commissioner in Dhaka, as well as Bangladeshi representatives including Zunaid Ahmed Palak, State Minister for the ICT Division; Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury, Deputy Minister for Education; and Russell T. Ahmed, President of Bangladesh Association of Software and Information Services (BASIS), were also in attendance during the meeting.
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The meeting focused on several issues, including possible areas for expanding trade and investment between the two nations. Discussions also covered issues related to Bangladesh’s RMG industry, such as its prospects for growth and its preparedness to maintain its progress. Faruque briefed the Australian Assistant Minister on the Bangladesh RMG industry’s significant progress in workplace safety, environmental sustainability, and employee rights and welfare. He expressed Bangladesh’s desire to import more cotton and wool from Australia to fulfill the rising demand of the RMG and textile industries.
Moreover, the BGMEA President briefed the Australian Assistant Minister about the BGMEA’s effort to organize the Bangladesh Apparel Summit in Australia on July 18, 2023. He also urged the Australian government to extend support in organizing the event and requested cooperation in developing the knowledge and expertise of students at BGMEA University of Fashion and Technology (BUFT) in the fields of textile, apparel, fashion, design, and business by partnering with top Australian universities and fashion institutes.
Faruque also expressed gratitude to the Australian government for its decision to continue duty-free market access for Bangladesh. He stated that this would help Bangladesh maintain the momentum of its economic growth following the LDC graduation. In summary, the meeting emphasized the importance of collaboration and cooperation between Bangladesh and Australia to expand bilateral trade and investment opportunities and advance the RMG industry.
