The most important fact is that we have a very good, disciplined and efficient workforce
Syed Nurul Islam talks about the current scenario of textile industry in Bangladesh with Fibre2Fashion correspondent Ilin Mathew.
Synopsis:
Well Group is a group of 15 companies spread across various segments of industries. Textiles form its major business. It employs more than 18000 employees, and is a renowned name in the textile industry of Bangladesh. It is today one of the biggest industrial groups in Bangladesh.
Mr. Islam is a Bachelor in Management and Master in Marketing & Management, from Chittagong University. Other than serving the company, he has played influential roles in associations like Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and Bangladesh Malaysia Chamber of Commerce & Industry.
Excerpts:
Bangladesh textile industry can be brought on the top wining track, if the government and other individuals take serious actions in removing or normalizing the above mentioned hurdles. Do you agree? What are the reasons?
Yes. I do agree that the Bangladesh textile industry can be brought on the top winning track if the government and other individuals take serious actions in removing or normalizing the above hurdles. Because our entrepreneurs are smart, hard working, innovative and top of all, we have a disciplined work force.
We have a disciplined and efficient work force at competitive costs and we have a strong group of private entrepreneurs.
Well Group is one of the pioneers in the Bangladesh textile industry. What are some of the most significant shifts that you have witnessed in the garment manufacturing sector over the years?
Selling price is dropping everyday, but quality and compliance issues are gaining importance in the industry. This is the most significant shift observed in the garment manufacturing sector in all these years.
Do you think that ready made garment industry in Bangladesh needs to improve its image in order to maintain long-term prosperity? Can you elaborate your answer?
I do not think that our ready made garments sector is in a major crisis; what we have to do is to promote our capability.
The importance of textile industry in the economy of Bangladesh is very high. According to you, what are the steps to be taken by the Bangladesh Government to improve the growth of the sector?
Yes. Our clothing industry is contributing to our economy in a big way. You can say that it is the back bone of our economy. The main hurlde of our growth is infrastructural limitation. If our government can improve all these limitation, such as power crisis problems, gas shortages, and road ways, railways and water ways communication, we will get remarkable growth. This will surely foster the growth of the sector.
Apart from infrastructure, noncompliance is also an issue, though our government has taken actions with the help of accords and alliances.
The Bangladesh textile wages fell more than 2 percent from 2001 to 2011 where as it rose by 125 percent in China. What will be the impact of it on the countries' textile and apparel sector?
I am not clear about this question. According to my knowledge, our wages increased by 150 percentage in last few years.
Global recession, unfavorable trade policies, internal security concerns, high cost of production due to increase in the energy cost and different safety issues, specially fire - Which of these do you think has negatively impacted the growth of Bangladesh textile and garment industry? Kindly elaborate.
We have seen a negative impact in our apparel industry due to all these issues.
Recently, the government of Uzbekistan has invited Bangladeshi entrepreneurs to invest in the country's textile sector. How will it improve the trade relation between the two countries?
I am not sure if the Uzbek proposal will work well, as we have a conservative forex policy. Due to restrictions in taking the capital abroad, limited private entrepreneurs will respond to the Uzbek proposal. Personally, I am not in favour of going broad for investing as we have lots of investment opportunities at home.
But definitely, it will help to strengthen the trade relationship between the two countries.
What are the major steps taken by the industry to improve the working condition of Bangladesh textile and garment factories, a year after the unprecedented disaster of the collapse of the Rana Plaza factory on April 24, 2013?
Along with the accords and alliances, Bangladesh government has taken comprehensive action plans to improve the condition of workers.
Several apparel firms around the world are relocating themselves to Bangladesh due to trade incentives available to the country and the low production cost. Do you agree? How do you think will it benefit the growth of textile and apparel sector in the country?
Yes, that is true. But it is not only because of incentives and low wages. The most important fact is that we have a very good, disciplined and efficient workforce. This will greatly benefit the overall growth of textile sector in the country.
Finally, how do you look at the prospects of Bangladesh textile industry in the next five years?
Due to significant development in our power and gas industry, as well as road communication, and on top of all our efficient workers, I am confident about the growth of our textile industry.
If everything goes well, especially if we can avoid political unrest, I am sure our clothing industry will grow and we will achieve our goal to become the largest garment manufacturing country of the world in the coming 5 years.
Published on: 21/07/2014
DISCLAIMER: All views and opinions expressed in this column are solely of the interviewee, and they do not reflect in any way the opinion of Fibre2Fashion.com.
