Foreign garments and fabrics have surged in the country’s local fashion sector, overshadowing Bangladesh’s status as the world’s second-largest ready-made garment exporter.
Industry insiders report that foreign products, mainly sourced from India, China, and Pakistan, including both finished goods and fabrics, dominate the market.
Business leaders and designers have highlighted several contributing factors, such as the absence of government policy support, deficiencies in design school curricula catering to the export-oriented industry, the lack of fashion design subjects in universities, and a general dearth of governmental initiatives.
Fashion designer Biplob Saha, the founder of fashion house Bishwo Rang, emphasised the detrimental effects of this trend, stating, ‘Foreign products are now dominating about 60-70 per cent of the local fashion industry. We are gradually losing our local crafts at this moment.’ He said.
‘Many weavers are also switching to other professions to make a living,’ he said.
He stressed that without government intervention, the situation in the local fashion industry is unlikely to improve.
Saha further pointed out that some traders are selling locally produced copy products as foreign due to consumer demand, resulting in the proliferation of such items in various districts and city markets.
The Handloom Census 2018, conducted by the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, revealed a concerning decline in the number of handloom weavers over the years.
From 1990 to 2018, the number decreased by seven lakh, with a significant drop from 1990’s 10,27,407 weavers to only 3,01,757 in 2018.
Designers within local clothing brands have voiced discontent regarding the influx of imported foreign products and fabrics.
They are also urging the government to implement policies aimed at revitalising local crafts and supporting craftsmen.
‘We must curb the import of Indian, Pakistani, and Chinese garments and fabrics to safeguard our local fashion industry,’ said Sadiya Mishu, head of design at the local clothing brand Klothen.
‘Failure to address these issues now will pose a severe threat to our industry in the future,’ asserted Mishu, also a member of the Fashion Design Council of Bangladesh.
Mishu claimed that owners prioritise foreign fabrics due to their lower production costs, resulting in increased profitability.
Khalid Hasan Khan, design manager at local clothing brand Le Reve, acknowledged their reliance on imported fabrics, primarily from China and to some extent India.
‘We typically utilise Chinese fabrics for Punjabis and Indian fabrics for casual shirts, as they provide comfort to consumers. However, we also incorporate local fabrics into our designs,’ he explained.
Md Mustafa Mosabber Jewel, senior manager of the fashion design section at Lubnan Trade Consortium Limited, highlighted their reduced reliance on imported finished goods while still importing fabrics, particularly from India for shirts and from China for T-shirts and polo shirts.
He emphasised that importing fabrics and then manufacturing them locally helps to lower production costs, making these products more affordable for consumers.
Jewel noted that the popularity of digital prints has slightly reduced the dependency on imports.
Local clothing brand designers echoed these concerns, expressing dissatisfaction with the prevalence of imported foreign products and fabrics. They urged the government to implement policies aimed at revitalising local crafts and supporting craftsmen.
Sanaul Haque Babul, proprietor of AB Fashion Maker, highlighted that with the increased availability of locally produced digital print fabrics, the reliance on imported foreign fabrics has diminished. ‘Foreign fabrics, primarily imported from India and to some extent from Pakistan via Dubai, have seen a decline,’ he stated, noting the ease of importing from India due to Bangladesh’s extensive bordering areas with the country.
Babul emphasised that had the government taken proactive measures to safeguard and promote local crafts, the current situation could have been significantly improved.
Abdullah Al Mamun, vice president of the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association and director of Abed Textile Processing Mills Limited, noted their recent venture into producing fabrics for the local fashion industry over the past three years.
‘While the local market may not be as extensive as the export-oriented one, we’ve been receiving satisfactory orders for fabrics, particularly during festive seasons like Eid-ul-Fitr,’ he mentioned.
Mamun observed that although the quantity of imported fabrics has decreased in Bangladesh, high-end dresses are still predominantly imported from Pakistan and India.
He maintained that foreign clothing continues to dominate the local fashion industry.
The influence of foreign products extends beyond the capital city Dhaka to other key urban centres like the port city Chattogram and various regions across the country.
Even prominent local fashion houses, such as Shoilpik based in Chattogram, with 47 outlets nationwide, including 23 in Chattogram, rely on Indian and Chinese fabrics for manufacturing clothing items.
HM Elias, owner of Shoilpik, acknowledged the use of Indian and Chinese fabrics in their products, attributing consumers’ preference for foreign products to the diverse designs and fabric varieties available.
Elias noted that unlike India and Pakistan, local products and fabrics lack versatility.
He also cited the shortage of quality designers as a challenge faced by the industry.
Despite Bangladesh’s status as the world’s second-largest ready-made garment exporter, questions arise regarding the absence of fashion design courses in local universities.
SK Saifur Rahman, general secretary of the National Crafts Council of Bangladesh, criticised the lack of recognition by the University Grants Commission and other government policymakers regarding the importance of establishing fashion design departments.
Rahman pointed out that while institutions like the BGMEA University of Fashion and Technology and the Shanto-Mariam University of Creative Technology offer fashion design courses, they primarily produce merchandisers rather than designers.
He expressed concern that Bangladesh’s focus on production without fostering its own design identity is gradually eroding local crafts and artisans. Additionally, he noted that many high-ranking positions in the garment industry are held by individuals from Sri Lanka and India.
Saifur Rahman lamented the lack of research and development initiatives among most fashion houses and warned that some local clothing brand owners are contributing to the industry’s decline by prioritising quantity over quality.
He cautioned that the local fashion industry is now at risk of irreparable damage.
He criticised the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) for its failure to take proactive measures to enhance the capabilities of Bangladeshi fashion designers.
Newly elected BGMEA president SM Mannan Kochi, who is also a trustee board member of BUFT, acknowledged that the institute’s curriculum is primarily geared towards creating merchandisers for the export-oriented industry.
However, he emphasised the need to prioritise fashion design to elevate both the local and export sectors.
Kochi stressed the importance of promoting Bangladesh’s culture and heritage through design, highlighting design as the cornerstone of the fashion industry.
Habiba Papiya, associate professor of fashion design at Shanto-Mariam University of Creative Technology, lamented that the local market is saturated with Indian, Chinese, and Pakistani products due to businesses prioritising imported dresses and fabrics for higher profits.
While designers at renowned local clothing brands like Aarong and Sailor excel in the local fashion scene, Papiya noted a shrinking space for designers due to the influence of profit-driven business practices.
She mentioned that while the university offers a curriculum covering both merchandising and fashion design, the scope for designers in the local industry remains limited.
Many businesses on online platforms predominantly sell Indian and Pakistani products alongside local ones.
Sabina Yasmin, the proprietor of Wild Fashion BD, disclosed that she sells women’s clothing and jewellery imported from India and Pakistan alongside local products.
Deshidosh, an alliance comprising 10 fashion houses including Nipun, Anjan’s, Banglar Mela, Bibiana, Nogordola, Kay Kraft, Rang Bangladesh, Sadakalo, Deshal, and Srishty, initially aimed to promote local fabric and design. However, due to consumer demand, they have begun incorporating foreign fabrics into their collections.
Ashrafur Rahman Faruq, managing director of Nipun Crafts Ltd, mentioned their contemplation of using foreign fabrics in the future as some local brands have already begun doing so.
‘We have been steadfastly promoting our local culture and heritage since 1973. Our consumers have unique preferences that set them apart. However, our local textile industries are falling behind in research and development, which hampers their ability to produce quality cotton in their spinning mills for the local market,’ noted Ashrafur.
He stressed the importance of investing in research and development within textile and cotton factories.
Ashrafur also observed a concerning trend where many local brands resort to copying the designs of foreign products and selling them in the market.
Mirpur Banarasi Palli in the capital was renowned for crafting some of the most exquisite and finest saris, attracting attention from Bollywood filmmakers and beyond.
These hand-woven Banarasi silk saris featured intricate motifs, lavish use of gold or silver zaris, and opulent embroideries, often favoured by brides making a statement at their weddings.
However, nowadays, most Mirpur Banarasi Palli showrooms primarily sell Indian and Pakistani products, with some even advertising such items prominently outside their shops.
This shift has had dire consequences for factory owners and weavers, with many factories shutting down and weavers forced to seek alternative means of livelihood.
Mohammad Parvez, a weaver of Banarasi saris since 1972, has experienced the decline firsthand.
‘I used to earn about Tk 3,000 to Tk 3,500 after weaving a sari over seven days. It’s challenging to sustain a livelihood with such meager earnings, especially during times of high prices for essentials. Our saris offer superior quality compared to Indian ones and are more durable,’ Parvez lamented.
He lamented that they were not receiving the deserved value for their products due to the prevalence of Indian items in the market.
Mohammad Arif, another weaver, disclosed that he earns only Tk 1,000 after spending seven days weaving a sari.
‘With a family of five members including my wife and three daughters, it’s incredibly challenging to sustain a livelihood with such meager income. Many of my fellow weavers have already left the job, and I am also considering leaving after this Eid-ul-Fitr,’ he added.
On March 31, Mohammad Shahjahan, a Banarasi sari factory owner, was seen spending leisure time with others at Banarasi Palli in Mirpur. When asked about his business, he revealed that his factory was on the verge of shutting down as many workers had transitioned to other professions due to the dominance of Indian products in the market.
‘Shop owners at Banarasi Palli treat us like beggars when we try to sell our products. They don’t even bother to inspect our merchandise. Our situation has deteriorated significantly, and we fear losing our rich tradition soon,’ he expressed.
Shahjahan highlighted the lack of support from both the government and traders, exacerbating their plight.
Mohammad Kashem, secretary of the Banarasi Palli Shop Owners Association, explained that they were trapped between a rock and a hard place due to sluggish sales.
‘Neither foreign nor local products are moving well, especially after the crackdown by the Directorate of National Consumer Rights Protection,’ he added.
Kashem further elaborated that they struggled to attract consumers even during festival seasons.
Many traders and shop staff at Banarasi Palli admitted to experiencing brisk business at the moment, attributing it to the increased demand for Indian and Pakistani products.
