B Mirror Report: The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), in collaboration with the Overseas Chinese Association in Bangladesh (OCAB), has launched a special initiative to attract fresh investment for closed and operational garment factories, aiming to strengthen the country’s apparel supply chain and boost foreign investment.

The initiative was announced following a bilateral meeting between BGMEA leaders and a high-level OCAB delegation at the BGMEA Complex in Uttara, Dhaka, on Tuesday.

The discussions focused on increasing Chinese investment in Bangladesh’s ready-made garment (RMG) sector and promoting strategic joint ventures between Bangladeshi manufacturers and Chinese investors.

The BGMEA delegation was led by President Mahmud Hasan Khan. Vice President (Finance) Mizanur Rahman and directors Shah Raeed Chowdhury, Joardar Mohammad Hosne Komar Alam, and Samiha Azim also attended the meeting.

The OCAB delegation included Vice President Lisa Luo, Vice President and Secretary General Vivian Huang, Executive Director Steven Zhang, and Secretary Tina Hu.

During the meeting, the Chinese delegation stressed that greater foreign investment is essential to modernize Bangladesh’s upstream supply chain. They said many Chinese companies are interested in establishing factories, transferring technology, and expanding business operations in Bangladesh but often lack reliable information to make investment decisions. They requested BGMEA’s support in providing relevant industry data and facilitating coordination.

In response, BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan said the association would collect information from its member factories through email. Factory owners interested in attracting Chinese capital and advanced technology, or seeking joint venture partners through full or partial ownership transfers, will be asked to submit detailed information, including factory profiles, production space, machinery, operational status, and preferred partnership models.

BGMEA will evaluate the submitted information and share it with OCAB to help match potential Chinese investors with suitable local manufacturers.

According to BGMEA, the one-stop collaboration is expected to help revive closed and financially distressed garment factories through new capital and technology while accelerating foreign investment in backward linkage industries and high-value apparel production.