[🇧🇩] Textile & RMG Industry of Bangladesh

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Bangladesh now has 244 green RMG factories

Now Bangladesh has 244 readymade garment factories certified by the United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design authorities as another unit achieved status of green factory. ..

www.newagebd.net

Bangladesh now has 244 green RMG factories
Staff Correspondent 28 May, 2025, 23:06

Now Bangladesh has 244 readymade garment factories certified by the United States Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design authorities as another unit achieved status of green factory.

Of the 244 green factories, 102 are platinum-rated, 128 gold-rated, 10 silver-rated and four certified factories, according to the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association.

In May, Gazipur-based Esprit Apparels Ltd achieved a platinum certificate from the USGBC under LEED BD+C: New Construction v4 rating system with a score of 101.

So far, 68 of the world’s top 100 LEED factories, including nine of the top 10 and 18 of the top 20, are in Bangladesh.

This success is expected to attract new investment and partnerships, reinforcing Bangladesh’s position as a sustainable manufacturing hub.

According to industry insiders, a total of 550 factories were awaiting the USGBC’s LEED certification.

The factories of Bangladesh have been obtaining the LEED certificate since 2011.

The USGBC honours factories based on several criteria: transformation performance, energy, water and waste management. The best performers are rated platinum, followed by gold and silver.

According to industry insiders, these criteria help green factories significantly reduce operational costs over time, even though they may initially cost more to set up.

Former BGMEA director Mohiuddin Rubel said that as the world increasingly prioritised ESG performance and sustainability in supply chains, this milestone enhanced the country’s global image.

According to apparel manufacturers, the move towards green factory buildings helped regain Bangladesh›s image after the Rana Plaza tragedy, which claimed 1,134 lives and left more than 2,000 injured.​

 

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We will expand new market destinations: Mahmud H Khan

As the election of the board of director of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association is approaching, Mahmud Hasan Khan (Babu), the panel leader of Forum, a contesting panel of BGMEA election for 2025-27 tenure, said his...

www.newagebd.net

We will expand new market destinations: Mahmud H Khan
Saddam Hossain 29 May, 2025, 23:06

Mahmud Hasan Khan (Babu)

As the election of the board of director of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association is approaching, Mahmud Hasan Khan (Babu), the panel leader of Forum, a contesting panel of BGMEA election for 2025-27 tenure, said his vision to expand market destination for the country’s readymade garment items.

In an interview with New Age, Babu, also the managing director of Rising Group, said that their goal is to increase stake in the nontraditional or new markets.

‘In the past ten years, the market for country’s RMG items expanded to Asian, African and Latin American markets significantly. Currently, about 20 per cent of the export earnings come from the new markets,’ he added.

Overreliance on few destinations is not ideal always, he added saying that they would work more for Japan, Australia, Brazil and other new destinations.

He also said that if they can be elected, they would closely work with the government to sign free trade agreement or preferential trading agreement as the Western countries frequently changes their tariff policies.

‘To fulfill our 14-point election manifesto, we have selected candidates’ entrepreneurial experience, professional competence, industry expertise, and technological proficiency, as well as their visionary leadership,’ he added.

He said that for the mentioned reason, the members would vote them, and if they can be elected, they will contribute to building a modern, transparent, and accountable BGMEA and in this regard.

He said that the Ministry of Commerce handles a wide range of domestic trade matters, often resulting in delays. So, they will work with the government establish a dedicated ‘Ministry of Apparel’ to faster decision-making, policy formulation and implementation.

He also said that small and medium entrepreneurs in the apparel sector have long faced numerous challenges.

‘It is crucial to ensure access to low-interest loans for SME entrepreneurs. We would work for a special fund to provide them with technology support and enhanced market access.

Regarding the industrial safety and labour rights, he said that it would introduce forced-savings among the RMG manufacturers as a solution to wage issues ahead of Eid and other festivals.

‘Bangladesh’s apparel industry is now 45 years old. Yet, it has not become truly sustainable. To build a resilient industry, we must prioritize key areas like industrial safety, labour rights, and environmental protection’, he added.

He also said that they would work for a practical and comprehensive exit policy for the factories which become unviable due to uncontrollable reasons.

Babu Said that they have a plan to establish zone-based crisis management cells to enable faster and more effective responses to any issues that arise locally.

‘The harassment faced during customs audits continues to be a major issue for us. We do not want to remain trapped in this cycle,’ he added.

He said that they work to implement a fully digitized clearance system to reduce both the time and cost of export-import operations.

He also said that they want a competent, transparent, and accountable BGMEA for the sake of a stronger national economy.​

 

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Bangladeshi RMG factories reap benefits from Better Work programme

Garment factories enrolled in the Better Work Bangladesh (BWB) programme are undergoing fewer social audits—used to assess labour and human rights risks—compared to factories not participating in the initiative. Babylon Group, which operates four knit and woven garment factories, has s

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Bangladeshi RMG factories reap benefits from Better Work programme

FE ONLINE REPORT
Published :
May 30, 2025 10:32
Updated :
May 30, 2025 10:32

Garment factories enrolled in the Better Work Bangladesh (BWB) programme are undergoing fewer social audits—used to assess labour and human rights risks—compared to factories not participating in the initiative.

Babylon Group, which operates four knit and woven garment factories, has seen its average number of social audits drop from about 12 annually to seven or eight since joining the BWB programme. Rubaet Bin Aziz, Group General Manager of HR, Admin, and Compliance at Babylon Garments Limited, shared this information during a media visit to the company's Mirpur-based factory on Thursday.

“This reduction not only saves valuable time but also cuts annual costs by approximately Tk 10 million,” Aziz said.

Three of Babylon Group's factories have been working with the Better Work programme for the past seven years.

The media tour was organised by BWB to showcase how effective social dialogue and grievance mechanisms can lead to stronger worker-management relationships and support both economic performance and worker well-being.

A report by the International Trade Center (ITC), released in August last year, noted that Bangladesh's ready-made garment (RMG) sector continues to experience the highest average number of social audits, even as other countries like China, Vietnam, Turkey, and India have seen a decline in such assessments.

The report pointed out that excessive auditing can lead to "fatigue" and "inefficiencies" within supply chains.

Local apparel exporters echoed this concern, stating that the same auditors often conduct multiple audits throughout the year, collecting duplicate information for different buyers. This repetition, they said, disrupts production and incurs unnecessary costs.

Social audits play a key role in identifying labour and human rights risks and ensuring suppliers meet global or company-specific standards for ethical labour and supply chain practices.

The Better Work programme, a joint initiative of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), collaborates with governments, employers, workers, and global brands to improve labour conditions and boost competitiveness in the garment sector.

Launched in Bangladesh in 2015, the programme currently includes around 490 factories, benefiting approximately 1.3 million workers—51 per cent of whom are women—according to BWB Team Lead Syed Fazle Niaz.

Nasrin Akter, a senior operator and president of the Babylon Garments Workers Union, told The Financial Express that workers communicate their demands through the union, which negotiates with factory management.

She cited the recent announcement of a 10-day Eid-ul-Adha holiday on May 12, which came after workers requested the time off—two weeks before the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) issued similar guidance to its members.

Aziz emphasised Babylon’s commitment to fair labour practices, supported by a strong governance structure that encourages open dialogue in the workplace.

He noted that the BWB programme’s capacity-building initiatives have helped trade union leaders improve their critical thinking, debating, and listening skills—enhancing communication and ensuring better representation of worker interests.

Mr Niaz added that trade unions play a vital role in allowing workers to voice concerns democratically, ultimately contributing to long-term business sustainability.​