RMG products in Rangpur being exported to India

Our Correspondent

RANGPUR, Jan 30: Ready-made garment (RMG) products in the city are now being exported to India taking advantage of the agreement on South Asian Free Trade Area (SAFTA).

Tariqul Islam, along with his two friends -- Mominur Rahman and Barkotullah, set up two small garment factories - Rabbi Rahim and Mouvasha garments in the city in 2008.

The factories initially supplied products only to the local markets. The owners, encouraged by the profits, soon decided to overhaul the factories.

"We, the first export-oriented garment factory in the north, started production with 30 sewing machines. But with the increased demand at home and abroad we set up more machineries and manpower", Barkotullah said.

After expansion they started searching for new markets and visited Indian state of West Bengal where they signed a deal with Ma Kali Trading of Shiliguri for 0.4 million (4.0 lakh) pieces of RMG worth about Tk 20 million (2.0 crore).

Islam said the importers of Shiliguri were very interested in buying pants and trousers from them.

They had sent them two consignments of 0.4 million pieces of the products during the last six months, he said.