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Prime Minister's Adviser Mahdi Amin
Bangladesh's readymade garment and textile sector can achieve 100 percent domestic employment by phasing out reliance on foreign professionals and technical experts, asserted Mahdi Amin, Adviser to the Prime Minister and Spokesperson for the Prime Minister's Office.
"Even after half a century of this industry's existence, many factories and buying houses still bring in foreign personnel for high-level roles. However, we possess the intellect, competence, and caliber to become completely self-reliant. If we can build a sustainable educational framework and an enabling professional ecosystem, talented Bangladeshi professionals will one day be hired for top executive posts across other nations as well," he stated.
He made these remarks while addressing a seminar titled "Innovation in Apparel and Textile: Driving Competitiveness and Growth," organized by the Ministry of Science and Technology at the Dhaka Novotheatre on Sunday (September 13) afternoon.
Earlier on Saturday (September 12), Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inaugurated the three-day "Bangladesh Innovation Fair-2026." The discussion session was held on the second day of the exposition, which is being staged under the banner of "Innovate to Market."
The Prime Minister's adviser emphasized that the government attaches the highest priority to generating sustainable employment for the youth and making them competitive across international labor markets. To realize this goal, curriculum reforms are actively underway to advance vocational education, forge robust industry-academia linkages, and operationalize public-private partnerships.
Characterizing the ready-made garment sector as a pillar of national pride and economic heritage, Mahdi Amin recalled that Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman laid the structural foundation of this industry by pioneering groundbreaking policies such as the bonded warehouse facility, duty-free raw material imports, and direct cash incentives. He also highlighted the sector’s undeniable contribution to national women's empowerment.
He affirmed that under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, the current administration is actively working to modernize the industry by reopening closed production units, streamlining cash incentive distribution, and maintaining continuous tripartite consultations with apex trade bodies, including the BGMEA and BTMA.
Addressing the integration of automation and technology in apparel manufacturing, the adviser stressed unequivocally that technological modernization must never come at the expense of workers' livelihoods. Noting that the sector has reached its current stature through the sacrifices of working people, he explained that harmonizing technological advancement with workforce protection remains the government's foremost policy priority.
Urging stakeholders to bridge the gap between academic theory and practical factory floor operations, Mahdi Amin underscored the necessity of establishing postgraduate and specialized diploma programs alongside hands-on internships, university career fairs, and dedicated "Centers of Excellence." Furthermore, he disclosed that the government is actively considering providing seed-stage equity financing for innovative startup projects launched by promising youth entrepreneurs.
The session organized by the Ministry of Science and Technology drew prominent figures from across the garment manufacturing, academic, and banking sectors.
Among other distinguished participants, the panel discussion was attended by Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Mahmud Hasan Khan, Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) President Shawkat Aziz Russell, National Board of Revenue (NBR) Member for Customs, Export Bond, and IT Farzana Afrose, BGMEA University of Fashion and Technology (BUFT) Vice-Chancellor Engr. Dr. Ayub Nabi Khan, H&M Regional Country Manager Ziaur Rahman, HSBC Bangladesh Country Head of Corporate & Institutional Banking and Global Network Banking Shadab Hossain, and HSBC Bangladesh Head of Global Apparel Supply Chain Ashfaqur Rahman.
Following the discussion, the Prime Minister's adviser toured various innovation pavilions set up by public and private organizations, universities, and nascent startup enterprises participating in the exhibition.
https://thedailyexpress.news/news/bangladesh/1f1af8d8-4b3e-6e30-b766-40457ad38f96