Metro Spinning Doubles Production Capacity

A recent study by STITCH and BRAC University reveals that nearly 32% of readymade garment (RMG) factories in Bangladesh have not implemented the revised minimum wage of Tk 12,500–12,800, mandated since December 2023. All non-compliant factories are located outside Export Processing Zones (EPZs), while EPZ-based and larger factories showed full compliance.

Following Bangladesh’s decision to ban yarn imports via five land ports—Benapole, Bhomra, Sonamasjid, Banglabandha, and Burimari, which previously handled 30% of India’s yarn exports—Indian producers are shifting toward waterways and sea routes.

Bangladesh’s garment industry, central to the global supply chain, aims to become a $100 billion manufacturing hub, but progress hinges on worker welfare. Despite innovations and product diversification, the sector faces challenges including buyer-imposed price pressures, high compliance costs, weak labor unions, and rising operational expenses.

Bangladesh’s readymade garment (RMG) exports to the European Union (EU) soared by nearly 37% year-on-year to $3.69 billion in January–February 2025, supported by a 39% rise in shipment volumes. Despite this impressive growth, average unit prices fell by 1.46%, reflecting ongoing profitability challenges.

Ahead of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) biennial election set for May 31, two rival panels-the Forum and Sammilito Parishad-have officially submitted their nominations.

Following the 2013 Rana Plaza collapse, Bangladesh made significant strides in improving safety standards within the garment sector, driven by initiatives like the "Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety" and the "International Accord for Health and Safety." However, Labour Reform Commission chairman Syed Sultan Uddin Ahmed emphasized that safety improvements must be extended to other industrial sectors.