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Sammilita Parishad, a panel contesting the BGMEA election slated for March 9, made a number of promises on Sunday with priority to developing and facilitating the growth of small and medium enterprises in the garment sector for a sustainable garment trade.
Diversifying both the market and the ready-made garment (RMG) items and branding the image of the industry would also be on the top agenda, if elected for the term of 2024-26, they said.
The panel added that once elected, they would work for a unified code of conduct for maintaining social, labour, and safety compliance audits.
Siddiqur Rahman, chief election coordinator of Sammilito Parishad, announced their election manifesto at a press conference held at Pan Pacific Sonargaon Dhaka Hotel. Mr Rahman, also a former BGMEA president, introduced 35 panel members of the Parishad at the event.
In its manifesto, the Parishad said they would work for bringing down the bank interest rate to a single digit and for introducing a special exchange rate of the dollar for garment exporters.
In addition, according to the manifesto, they would create opportunity by easing access to finance and developing skilled human resources.
The panel also pledged to work for continuing the duty benefit to major markets even after the country graduates from the least developed country (LDC) category by 2026 and for obtaining GSP Plus status in the European Union.
They also promised that they would work to simplify the complexities by introducing a new Harmonised System (HS) code for product diversification and to ease the business of garments both in the export and import of raw materials.
The panel committed to working with the government to introduce a special incentive for encouraging garment entrepreneurs to use non-cotton fibre in apparel manufacturing, aiming to diversify RMG goods.
They would lobby with the government for duty-free imports of solar panels and related equipment to promote the use of renewable energy, aiming to reduce carbon emissions, according to the manifesto.
The Parishad also vowed to work for innovation and design development while creating a circular fashion guideline and a green garment fashion industry if they are elected.
They also committed to ensuring skill development for the mid-level officials, introducing cash incentives and policy supports for the backward linkage industries, like a long-term tax holiday for the man-made fibre and recycled fibre industries.
The panel pledged in the manifesto that they would work on addressing the issues related to obtaining certification from the RMG Sustainability Council (RSC), especially reducing the procrastination in obtaining certification from the RSC, obtaining building design approval, and establishing transparency in the implementation of the corrective action plan.
Speaking among others at the event, Sammilita Parishad panel leader SM Mannan Kochi called for working together, especially in the crisis period, for the sustainability of the sector.
He noted that they incorporated young people along with experienced ones into their panel.
Forum, another panel led by Faisal Samad, is also contesting the election.