Swisscontact and the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) have officially established a strategic partnership aimed at fostering sustainable and inclusive growth within Bangladesh’s ready-made garment (RMG) sector. This collaboration was formalized today through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the BGMEA office in Dhaka.
The MoU outlines a joint effort across three key projects spearheaded by Swisscontact: PROGRESS (Promoting Green Growth in the RMG Sector through Skills), which receives funding from the Embassy of Sweden and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC); InSPIRE (Initiative to Stimulate Private Investment for Resource Efficiency), a challenge fund supported by the Embassy of Sweden that promotes the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency in the sector; and BYETS (Building Youth Employability through Skills), funded by the Embassy of the Netherlands, which aims to improve youth employability by offering technical and soft skills training in RMG, agro-processing, and ICT. These initiatives will benefit the RMG sector and target major industrial zones, including Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj, and Chattogram.
The MoU combines BGMEA’s industry expertise with Swisscontact’s development knowledge to advance sustainability. The focus will be on skill development for women and youth, ensuring environmental and social compliance, promoting clean energy initiatives, and enhancing outreach to support factory-level transformation in the RMG sector.
Ikramul H. Sohel, Senior Programme Officer for Inclusive Economic Development at the Embassy of Sweden in Dhaka, expressed, “The Swedish government prioritizes empowering micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and promoting gender equality within the RMG sector. We believe this partnership between Swisscontact and BGMEA will actualize these priorities by facilitating meaningful, long-term change that benefits both workers and businesses.”
Anwar Hossain, BGMEA Administrator, stated, “This MoU embodies our commitment to strengthening Bangladesh’s RMG sector by enhancing competitiveness through innovation, workforce development, and sustainability. We are eager to collaborate with Swisscontact to generate a tangible impact across the industry.”
Ishrat Fatema, Deputy Country Director of Swisscontact Bangladesh, expressed her enthusiasm for the partnership, saying, “We are thrilled to join forces with BGMEA to amplify our efforts in building a more resilient, inclusive, and environmentally sustainable RMG sector. This collaboration will assist factories in adopting greener practices while ensuring improved livelihoods for workers, particularly women.”
This partnership marks a significant advance toward developing a greener and more inclusive RMG industry that continues to drive Bangladesh’s economic growth while adhering to global sustainability standards.
The MoU signing ceremony was also attended by Inamul Haq Khan Bablu, Senior Vice President of BGMEA, and BGMEA Support Committee members Asif Ashraf and ANM Saifuddin.
