Bangladesh Garments Accessories & Packaging Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BGAPMEA) is the second largest export oriented trade organization of the country and represents more than 1000 carton and accessories industries of the country. These industries produce garments accessories and packaging to cater to the needs of the export oriented garments industries & other export oriented industries also. The packaging & accessories industries not only generate employment but also earned foreign exchange US $1.8 billon annually. This earning is likely to be increased 12 bn by the end of 2018 provided government gives policy support to this sector. This sector helps to reduce the lead time of RMG export.

We have taken some welfare measures for the owners, officers, staff & factory workers. Recently we made an agreement with Apollo & United Hospitals to provide corporate health care services for the members of BGAPMEA. We have introduced Group Term Life Insurance for the members of our association & factory workers. We believe that this insurance policy would benefit factory workers. As you know that sometimes exporters are being harassed for requisition of vehicles. In this context we pursued Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) to provide stickers for the vehicles carrying exportable products. DMP has agreed to provide stickers for vehicles carrying exportable goods to redress the suffering of exporters. Moreover, we have set up a testing laboratory in our office premises. This laboratory was needed to make our products competitive in the global market & to meeting quality standards internationally. Now exporters of these sectors may avail of the facilities for testing of cartons. We are pleased to inform you that government has taken initiatives for setting up "Garment Accessories Industrial Park" considering importance of this sector.

It is our cherished dream to set up a Packaging Institute for the development of packaging sector in Bangladesh, as we don't have any such facility. We have pursued different donor agencies for several years. In our relentless efforts we made an agreement with the ITC under Bangladesh quality support program (Component-2). They have audited packaging & accessories sectors & submitted a report to the government. We hope, Government will give due consideration on the recommendations made by the consultants to set up a Packaging Institute in the country. Activities of this association has increased in manifold nationally & Internationally. The Advisor of this association Mr. Safiullah Chowdhury has become the President of Asian Packaging Federation (APF). Moreover we are also trying to address the rest of the problems of members.