Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce to hold 1st India Textile Trade Fair in Dhaka from Jan 11

Surat, Jan 10 (KNN) The Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI) are organising their first ever ‘India Textile Trade Fair’ in Bangladesh from January 11 to 14.

The primary aim of the trade fair is to capitalise on the vast bilateral trade opportunities between Surat and Bangladesh.

As per reports, around 60 leading textile industrialists from Surat and South Gujarat will attend the four-day exhibition, which will be held at the International Convention City in Basundhara, Dhaka.

“There is a huge market in Bangladesh for yarns, fabrics, garments, and accessories produced in Surat,” said Himanshu Bodawala, president of SGCCI.

“Surat’s textile entrepreneurs are manufacturing the quality of textile products at par with China. Surat has a fair chance of capturing the Bangladesh market with its quality fabrics and yarns because Bangladesh is the largest importer of yarn, cotton, knitted and woven fabrics,” said Bodawala.

Currently, Dhaka is world’s second largest exporter of apparel. Every year, the country exports garments and apparel worth USD 44 billion. Bangladesh currently imports USD 6 billion in textiles from China each year, while USD 2 billion in textile goods is imported from India annually.

The Indian textile trade fair is expected to attract 20,000 buyers along with Bangladesh’s garment exporters and manufacturers, importers, distributors, wholesalers, fashion designers, traders, design studios and institutes like Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA), Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) etc.

During his visit to India, Bangladesh Commerce Minister Tipu Munshi met with Union Textiles Minister Piyush Goyal to discuss the bilateral free trade agreements. Surat could become a major textile supplier to Bangladesh if the duty on textile products exported from India to Bangladesh is abolished under the FTA. 

The Bangladesh’s Commerce Minister is expected to inaugurate the trade fair, said Amish Shah, chairman of the India Textile Trade Fair.

Farooqui Hassan, President of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, Mohamud Jashim Uddin, President of Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and former president Shafil Moinuddin will be present at the inaugural ceremony.

Indian High Commissioner in Bangladesh Pranay Verma will be the chief guest for the event.  (KNN Bureau)