Introduction:

It would be an unjust to give all the credits to any single part (e.g., global market, Bangladesh business community, or the government policy) for the boom of Bangladesh textile & RMG industry. In fact, a range of internal and global factors & issues combined has caused it to happen. Bengalis have century long history of mechanized tailoring and several thousand years of experience in hand stitching. The aptitude and art of sewing/stitching has genetically transmitted through the females of this land. Even today, one can hardly find a rural female adult who does not know hand stitching or embroidery work. From long since the textile industry and garmenting have been in this very land that has past export experience too. By exploiting the demand of the global apparel market, the local manufacturers/exporters backed by the responsive state polices have successfully utilized the skilled but cheap manpower resource to recover the land's lost pride, once again.

The Milestones:
1. Ancient Bengal:
Handloom had been in operation in the territory now comprising Bangladesh before the inception of the Christian era, believe many. The history and literature contain some piecemeal abstract information about handloom weaving of the era of Sultan in between 1000 BC to 1600 BC.

2. Mughal Era:
The word muslin reminds the glorious days of Bengal textiles, particularly of Dhaka, during the Mughal era and the early colonial period. Muslin is an exceptionally high quality fabric of plain construction, woven in handloom with finest yarn measuring up to 250 Ne. The modern cotton spinning is able to spin cotton yarn only up to 120 Ne. Muslin and other textiles were exported in mass scale to different parts of India, Europe, and Central & West Asia. At that time Bengal also became the world famous silk producers because of huge sericulture concentration in Rajshahi & Murshidabad regions. Indigenous technology based (but high accuracy oriented) manual cotton spinning, quality katgahi silk-reeling and decorative handloom weaving were the causes of Bengali's in textiles advantage over any Asian & European nations of the time. Bengal muslin and other textiles boomed at that time because of the business friendly environment created by the Mughal regime. Under the umbrella of the social security and political blessing to business, Bengalis felt convenience to make investment in the sector and applied their inherited talent

3. British Era:
In the middle of the British colonial era, the muslin technology was lost from the Bengal due to the tyrannies of the colonial rulers and marketing agents of UK based textile industries, and also the uneven competition with the low cost products of the mechanized textiles. Lack of political support, state's non-cooperation and lack of social initiatives (at least for lack of documentation through literature) have deprived Bangladesh and the world from muslin. The Singer's sewing machines created new era of mechanized tailoring in the land by the end of 19th century. The colonial regime also introduced Bengal with the mechanized textile industry since 1930s. But the participation of local investors in establishing mechanized textile industry was constrained due to break out of the World War-II and the division of India in 1947.

4. Pakistan Era:
The supply of raw cotton from the then West Pakistan to Bangladesh opened new avenue for developing cotton spinning industry in the then East Pakistan, where handloom weaving was again on the verge of revival. Mostly the non-Bengali entrepreneurs availed the scope of establishing

mechanized textile industry, which was blessed by the liberal business policies issued by the then Pakistan government and technical cooperation extended by East Pakistan Industrial Development Corporation (EPIDC). As a result, prior to 1971, Bangladesh had 858,000 spindles and 7,400 power looms and 375,00 operable handlooms, registering a good growth as compared to 1947 situation when the country had only 110,000 spindles and 2,700 power looms comprising 11 Textile Mills. Early 1960s was the beginning of ready-made garments manufacturing, which was then simply an initial venture of the local investors aiming to capture a share of the domestic market that remained under the custody of West Pakistani apparel manufacturers.

5. Bangladesh Era:
As compared to 1972-73, today's capacity of Bangladesh Textile & RMG industry is mammoth. The landscape changed largely in the last 22 years. The export oriented RMG started its journey only since 1977-78 with 6 manufacturing units. As a matter of fact, the Bangladesh Primary Textile (PT) & RMG industry started to be a little dynamic since 1983-84 when the country started earning some significant proceed (116.203 US $) through exporting RMG. At that time, the country's spinning sub-sector manufactured only 60.13 million kg of yarn and the power loom weaving produced 109.63 million meters of fabrics and handloom in excess of 600 million meters of finished textiles (national assortments like sari, lungi, towel/gamcha, wrapper/chador, etc.). Contrasting to that scenario, Bangladesh RMG industry exported in excess of US$ 8 billion in 2005-06; the primary textile as a partner of export oriented RMGs and domestic apparel industries produced 538 million kg yarn and 6,515 million meters of fabrics. However, the handloom production has declined from 630 million to 480 million meters in this period of time. Bangladesh RMG, Textile & Accessories Industries together now; Account for 77% of the total national export earning; Contribute 38 percent value addition of the industrial sector; Provide some 63 percent employment in the whole industrial sector of the country.

Factors of Success & Failure of Bangladesh Textiles:

International Trade Treaty & Agreement:
Textile was declared as the thrust sector to extend all out cooperation to the export oriented RMG and the backward linkage industry. Provisions of cash incentives (initially to the extent of 25% of the export value) to the exporters and backward supply chains by the government o f Bangladesh. Extended bonded warehouse provisions. Rationalized tariff on textile & garments inputs.

International Supply Chain:

Hong Kong based dealmakers for their own business interest tried Bangladesh RMG export to expand in the EU, USA, Australia and Canada.

Local Situational Aspects:

Bangladesh by middle of this decade had already built up a sizable backward linkage capacity- both PT & accessory industry, which similar non-fiber producing countries like Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Mauritius & other potential African countries could not develop. Bangladesh was able to proof itself as a country having cheapest skilled work force having better attitude than any competitor countries.

Stakeholders Associations:
In the mean time, 3 strong stakeholders associations (BGMEA-Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers & Exporters Association, BKMEA-Bangladesh Knit Manufacturers & Exporters Association and BTMA-Bangladesh Textile Mills association) became very active for advocacy. They have kept strong role in eradicating systemic bottlenecks and acted as efficient pressure group to undertake policies in their favor by the government.

Socio-Political Factors:
Bangladesh political parties did not oppose mass privatization; rather many political leaders openly or in anonymity started becoming textile Or RMG entrepreneurs. The workers' union-activities were not counter-productive as in the early Bangladesh period and females' participation in the RMG & textile industry was not strongly discouraged by the religious sector.

SWOT Analysis of Bangladesh Textiles & RMG Industry

Strength:
Advantage over China, Pakistan & India Adequate supply of labor force of both sexes, attributed with less attitudes problem (less absenteeism and, aptitude for learning, and loyal) and high morale Cheaper labor cost Low cost of captive power generation using gas as fuel GSP facility up to 2015 Bangladesh produce mostly basic products- which are low cost items; the share of fashion products i.e., high value added product is very low. Bangladesh does not produce the basic raw materials (only a negligible quantity of cotton but no manufactured fiber) and as such has to depend totally on sensitive global market. Because of inadequate backward linkage, lead-time happens to be long, nearly 3 months. Public power supply is erratic. Bank interest rate is still high enough, particularly of private sector bank, for investment of export oriented high value project. HRD facility, productivity and quality support, testing and accreditation support, design support and compliances are yet to be enhanced. Cost of doing business is high because of under table money Bangladesh has now a scope to go for more fashion oriented products deserving high price in the global market. With the help of further increase of productivity & quality and design support, Bangladesh can minimize cost and maximize profit and export value. Bangladesh, as a proven experienced RMG & Textile manufacturer, can expand share in the existing market (USA, EU, Australia, Canada, etc.) and can also explore opportunity in Japan & CIS countries. In the long run, Bangladesh has a scope to target huge populated country like China and India- where demand as well as cost of manufacturing will be wider.

Weakness:

Opportunity:

Threat:

Unless new strong market is explored in home or abroad, any non-cooperation from USA & EU may jeopardize the whole Bangladesh RMG export business and consequently the textile manufacturing. Sudden price hike of cotton and yarn in the global market may push Bangladesh to a very awkward situation to devastate the business. The type of labor and political anarchies of the recent days if prevails in the future, Bangladesh may lose the business in the way Sri Lanka has lost. Growing terrorism, or its false/amplified propaganda, is also a big threat. The poor political culture and violence is one of the most important threats.

Conclusion:
In order to make further boom, Bangladesh has to create new capacities and modernize & balance the existing ones. Encouragement of FDI from ethnic Bengalis in foreign countries would be one of the best options for the needed financing in addition to the local banks' efforts. Power supply has to be ensured. Bangladesh needs to develop capacities to provide the industries with a sustainable supply of resource personnel and support services in regard of research, design, testing & standardization, accreditation, compliances, etc. Bangladesh has to improve the port efficiency further and gear up domestic transportation. Labor crisis, labor safety, social rights and gender issues have to be dealt with more efficacies. It is important that the buyers should have a preferred access to the country; starting from reception on arrival to facilities such as hotel/rest house, tourism and recreation should be improved.

References:
1.
2. Wikipedia of Bangladesh Textile Industry www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/bangladesh_textile_industry 3. BGMEA www.bgmea.blogspot.com 4. Competitiveness of the Bangladesh Ready-made Garment Industry in Major International Markets By Mohammed Ziaul Haider 5. Fiber 2 Fashion, World of Garment - Textile - Fashion www.fiber2fashion.com