Bangladesh has launched the Center of Excellence for the Bangladesh Apparel Industry (CEBAI), aimed at improving the productivity of the country’s readymade garments industry through research and development. It will create skilled and semi-skilled workers through market-responsive training or through providing support for skill development endeavors.

The center will also regularly conduct research on the industry to keep it on the right track of development and act as a think tank for the apparel industry. CEBAI is the first such center established in the world. It would act as an important catalyst for the industry’s growth through research and skill development programs. It will provide all sorts of training and skill solutions, basic, regular and product based research, professional consultation and new market developments.

Swedish SIDA and retailer H&M are funding $1.5 million for the first three years of the project to be implemented by ILO. The skill delivery wing will be set up at Ashulia while the research and planning cell will be at Dhaka University and other activities would be conducted at private enterprises.

CEBAI aims to produce 6,000 skilled workers in two years. For meeting the growing global demand and export targets, Bangladesh will need 3.5 million skilled and semi-skilled workers by the next seven years.