Tipu Munshi urges Primark to ensure fair prices for RMG products

Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi has urged the global apparel brand Primark to ensure fair prices for Bangladeshi readymade garment products to help the industry survive.

"Bangladesh is currently the second largest garments exporter in the world. More than 40 lakh people are involved in this industry and 65% are women," he said when a delegation of Primark and Associates met him at the Secretariat on Wednesday.

He also requested the company to buy more garments products from Bangladesh.

The minister said, "Bangladesh earned $40 billion last year from garments export. We are working to reach the $100 billion threshold in 2030. Bangladesh is now capable of supplying any quantity of products as per the client's demands."

He informed the delegates that the government in Bangladesh now is providing all the necessary support for the development of the garment industry in Bangladesh.

"We are working to establish 100 special economic zones across the country. Bangladesh will graduate from the least developed countries (LDC) status in 2026. We are working to make trade agreements like PTA or FTA to get trade benefits from different countries after the post-LDC period," Tipu Munshi said.

Paul Marchant, chief executive officer of Primark, said, "Bangladesh is very important to us in terms of trade. Bangladesh has made a lot of progress in the garment sector. It is producing garments products in green factories in a work-friendly environment."

Salman F Rahman, private sector and investment advisor to the prime minister, was also present at the meeting. He said, "During the Covid-19 many buyers cancelled orders for our products. As a result, many businessmen in the country have suffered losses.

However, the economic wheel of the country did not stop thanks to the government's support."

Later, the commerce minister met the delegate of Japan External Trade Organisation at the secretariat.