Business Desk :
International trade shows on garment machinery and allied products will begin on January 8 to showcase the apparel industry’s technology and garments accessories and packaging.
The four-day shows will continue from January 8 to January 11 at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) in the capital.
The event includes the 22nd edition of Garment Technology Show Bangladesh 2025 (GTB 2025), also known as International Trade Show on Apparel Machinery and Allied Products and the 14th edition of International Garment Accessories and Packaging Expo 2025 (GAPEXPO 2023).
The trade shows will be organized jointly with Bangladesh Garment Accessories and Packaging Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGAPMEA) and ASK Trade and Exhibition Pvt Limited.
GAPEXPO will be showcasing products, types of machinery and raw materials.
Md Shahriar, president of the BGAPMEA, revealed this in a pre-event press conference on Sunday in the capital.
He said that the garments accessories and packaging industry acts as a backward linkage industry for the country’s readymade garment (RMG) sector.
Earlier Bangladesh was fully import dependent for RMG accessories and packaging materials. Currently, over 60 items are produced locally for export-oriented apparel industries and some are also exporting directly, he also said.
Shahriar stated that the GAPEXPO plays a crucial role to introduce the sector and to find buyers.
In this year’s tradeshow, about 500 exhibitors from 25 countries will showcase their latest technology machines and software used in every process of production.
He also said that in FY24, the sector bagged $6.87 billion as deemed export.
After graduating from the LDC, Bangladesh won’t get preferential benefits and various studies are being conducted on the RMG sector at all levels, both public and private, to solve the possible problems of garment exports.
“However, if such a plan is done only with the garment industry, the potential problems will not be overcome. Along with that, we must also think about what kind of problems may arise for the garment accessories and packaging industry,” he said, adding that all the obstacles in the development of this sector should be resolved through discussion with the representatives of the sectors.
He further said that in the current context, some orders have shifted to competitive countries which might be at least 15%-20%, mainly due to the unstable law and order situation.
However, the buyers said they will return when the situation normalizes because they always have trust in Bangladesh. He also said that one of his buyers, Target Australia, has shifted some orders to India.
Regarding automation, he said that the customs bond or CBC has taken the initiative to automate, which is also a long-standing demand of the manufacturers.
“However, there is a problem in the module of the software implemented by the NBR. This problem needs to be resolved quickly to attract the manufacturers,” he added.
Regarding EPB data, he said that they still have doubts on the EPB data. Often, there is a mismatch between the data of BB, EPB, and Customs, which raises their mistrust.
Nanda Gopal, director of ASK Trade & Exhibitions Ltd, said that the four-day event will be one of the largest trade shows of its kind in Southeast Asia.
“Bangladesh has gained its reputation as a leading supplier of RMG to the world, in its quest to consolidate its position and modernize to cater to the needs of the global market GTB 2025 is a technology platform for our RMG Sector,” he added.
Inauguration ceremony will be held on January 8 at Hall No 4 of the ICCB where Sk Bashir Uddin, Adviser of Ministry of Commerce & Ministry of Textile & Jute, will be present at chief guest along with Park Young-sik, ambassador of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea to Bangladesh, BCI President Anwar Ul Alam Chowdhury, BKMEA president Mohammad Hatem, and BTMA president Showkat Aziz Russell.
There will be seminars on the second and third day of the expo.
