BGMEA has initiated two projects with GIZ [Gesellschaft Für Internationale Zusammenarbeit - German Corporation for International Cooperation] named Stile and Fabric.

As per Spin Off International, while project Stile aims to create a conducive policy environment with capacity development of the manufacturers, the Fabric plans to adopt a regional approach to standardize sustainability standard in the Asian apparel manufacturing countries. The association is collaborating with United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) to look into digitalization of the payment system along with sustainability and productivity activities integrated through a smart management system.

The Bangladesh RMG industry has been badly hit by second COVID wave. The industry has lost $6 billion in export in fiscal year 2019-20 compared to the previous fiscal year, and during July-March of fiscal year 2020-21 the export earnings declined by 49 per cent to $23.49 billion from $25.95 billion reported during the same period of fiscal year 2018-19. The industry lost around 4 per cent unit value during September 2020-March 2021, while the cost of operation has increased due to disruption in scale economy and empty capacity. Factories are also suffering from increased cost due to maintaining health protocols, says Faruque Hassan, President, BGMEA.