Apparel Online Bangladesh Magazine May Issue 2019 | Page 19

LEAD STORY
Bangladesh in the aftermath of
Rana Plaza are coming back…
Overall, we are going for a multi-
pronged approach to tackle the
existing contingencies.
consensus on this soon. However,
we have decided to allocate budget
towards brand building and also
decided to hire a renowned agency
to steer the PR exercise.
AOB: The industry’s image
makeover has become
critical lately… What’s the
game plan? AOB: As per your reading of
things, what is the biggest
challenge for Bangladesh
garment industry at present?
Miran Ali: We are planning a long-
term and sustained approach
involving all relevant stakeholders
to change the perception of
Bangladesh apparel sector.
If media is going to play a
leading role to help strengthen
our position in markets of UK,
Germany and North America, we
would be working closely with
various groups and entities that
have helped businesses establish
and flourish in the West. Miran Ali: I would say the changing
global retail landscape. The days
of volume business is now giving
way to smaller runs, value-added
items and shorter lead times. Even
though certain amount of volume
business is still there but it is not
sustainable considering the profit
margins. Now having created
our factories and production
processes, keeping volumes in
mind, there is an urgent need to
bring in the change and flexibility
so that we don’t lose out on the
smaller orders.
AOB: How would Rubana
Huq help in this end… What
would be her role?
Miran Ali: The very fact that she’s
highly educated, articulate and
with years of hands-on knowledge
of the industry is a big positive
in itself! Her leadership would
help BGMEA reach out to the
stakeholders and those who matter
in a much better and effective
manner. She has what it takes to
spread our message far and wide
to help mould a positive image of
brand Bangladesh.
AOB: With more than four-
decade of manufacturing
history, the industry has so
much to showcase… What
would be your pick in this
brand building exercise?
Miran Ali: Even though we have
decided on the roadmap, we are
currently brainstorming on what
we want to sell to the world, will
it be workplace safety & workers’
welfare, manufacturing practices
& efficiency, sustainability…
We are hopeful of reaching a
At personal level, I am also facing
this challenge. So what I have done
is split up four long production
lines in my factory to around 12
smaller lines to capture those
smaller orders.
The industry as a whole needs
to become efficient at that while
trying to cut on the lead times.
Fast fashion demands sharper
lead time and to be in this game,
we have to reposition ourselves
accordingly. Even though a deep
port would come up by 2022 which
would help in improving the lead
time but till then we would have
to look at other avenues… One
aspect that we are looking at is
trying to work out joint venture
opportunities with India and
China in secondary processing.
Bangladesh is over 60% self-
sufficient in denim fabrics as
well as over 90% in knit fabrics,
but what we are still lagging is
in synthetic in which the global
apparel business is growing
compared to cotton. Both China
and India by virtue of their
strength in synthetics can be of
much help to us.
FA C T S
The days of
volume business
is now giving way
to smaller runs,
value-added items
and shorter lead
times. Even though
certain amount of
volume business
is still there but it
is not sustainable
considering the
profit margins. Now
having created
our factories
and production
processes keeping
volumes in mind,
there is an urgent
need to bring in the
change and flexibility
so that we don’t lose
out on the smaller
orders.
AOB: In terms of products
anything new that
Bangladesh can start doing
to beat the price blues?
Miran Ali: I think we should
concentrate more on value-added
offerings… Currently, other
countries are mostly bagging such
orders but if we can sink our teeth
there, business opportunities
are immense. I have started two
new factories for outerwear and
activewear lately. One more aspect
that we have to concentrate on
is how to get the business that is
shifting from China, which is now
moving up the value chain into
other sectors.
AOB: In terms of
competitors, who do you
think is inching closer to
Bangladesh?
Miran Ali: Vietnam for sure… In
immediate future, Vietnam is going
to catch up with us value-wise in
exports. Apart from Vietnam, I
don’t see any challenge. Cambodia
is going down; as of India is
concerned, there’s no substantial
growth; Pakistan on the other hand
is more into men’s denims and
home textiles; and Sri Lanka is not
in this competition any more.
AOB: What about Ethiopia
and Myanmar?
Miran Ali: As far as Ethiopia is
concerned, I would give it 6-7 years
to show up in the manufacturing
map prominently let alone
becoming a competitor; and as
far Myanmar is concerned, its
business with domestic markets
of China, Korea and Japan is good
but otherwise it is yet to make any
dent in the global arena.

And now with chances of Myanmar
losing the GSP benefit, business is
not going to be very prosperous for
them. And add to it their primitive
banking and customs, which is
doing no good to the apparel
exporting sector.
www.apparelresources.com | MAY 2019 | Apparel Online Bangladesh
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