BGMEA Requests Govt to Give Reg to Apparel Buying Houses

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has requested the government to give registration to its associate-member buying houses, officials said.

In this matter, the apex trade body of the country's apparel sector has recently sent a letter to the textiles and jute ministry for taking the next course of steps.

In a circular released on April 01, 2019, the Ministry made it necessary for apparel buying houses to be registered with the Department of Textiles (DoT), as per the letter. 

In addition, BGMEA has been giving registration or certificate to buying houses as its associate members.

Presently, there are 1,500 buying houses registered with BGMEA as its associate members.

In August 2019, BGMEA sent a letter to the director-general of DoTseeking registration for the buying houses who are associate members of BGMEA.

Nevertheless, the department does not give registration in favor of such buying houses. Nor did it get any application from the buying houses. In fact, the purchasing of houses were asked to obtain membership from their respective associations.

The department has unilaterally referred to the Bangladesh Garment Buying House Association as a trade organization that has been hampering the interests of 1,500 apparel buying houses, a BGMEA source said.

BGMEA is the largest fabric manufacturing group in Bangladesh accredited to globally renowned companies, he said.

It was mentioned in the letter that the prices of RMG goods are being lowered day by day due to unregulated sales of houses and unreasonable registrations by the associations concerned.

Around 6,600 apparel factories are the members of the association.

Presently, nearly 85 percent of the country's export earnings come from the apparel sector.