President of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Mahmud Hasan Khan, paid a courtesy call on Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud bin Harun, Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) and Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA), on June 30 at the BIDA office.

During the meeting, the BIDA Chairman congratulated the newly elected BGMEA Board of Directors. The BGMEA delegation included Vice Presidents Mizanur Rahman, Vidya Amrit Khan, and Director Samiha Azim.

The BGMEA President provided an overview of the current challenges facing the garment sector, including global instability, high interest rates, and rising energy costs. He emphasized the need for BIDA’s support to ensure sustainable growth.

He proposed allocating land in Chattogram at symbolic cost for small and medium garment factories and establishing an integrated garment zone. The BIDA Chairman welcomed the proposal and announced plans to form a joint committee with BGMEA to develop an action plan within a week.

The BGMEA delegation also called for policy support and cooperation for investments in renewable energy and recycling, including solar panel installation and waste reuse in factories.

They proposed extending the loan classification grace period from 3 to 6 months and simplifying the bond audit process.

Highlighting the sector’s importance, the BGMEA urged the formation of a separate Ministry of Textiles and Garments.

The BIDA Chairman praised the sector’s contribution to the economy and assured continued support and public-private collaboration for its development.