Bangladesh’s BGMEA delegation meets Australian officials, trade bodies

Fibre2Fashion: A delegation of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) led by President Faruque Hassan recently visited Australia and met government officials and trade association representatives to explore the scope of expanding trade and strengthening partnerships.

The BGMEA delegation met Australian assistant minister for Trade Tim Ayres; Daniel Boyer, deputy chief executive officer of the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade); and Gary Cowan, first assistant secretary, North, and South Asia division, department of foreign affairs and Trade (DFAT).

Ayres and Hassan discussed general trade issues, investment opportunities, areas of collaboration, Bangladesh’s economic development, its graduation from the least developed country (LDC) status in 2026, and its associated challenges.

Both Ayres and Cowan assured that Australia would continue to offer duty-free facilities for Bangladesh’s exports even after the country’s graduation from LDC status, BGMEA said in a release.

Hassan expressed Bangladesh’s interest in enhancing exports of cotton and wool from Australia for its garments sector and sought Australian cooperation in training students of the BGMEA University of Fashion and Technology (BUFT).

In his meeting with Boyer, Hassan invited Australian investors to explore promising areas in Bangladesh where they could invest.