A business directory has been launched for the benefit of Bangladesh entrepreneurs. It contains more than 25,000 addresses of global apparel buyers in 160 countries. The aim is to help Bangladesh entrepreneurs expand their export destinations and thus post higher growth of exports.

It also gives information such as import statistics, lists of importable items, and tariff and non-tariff structures on knitwear and woven garments across the globe. Bangladesh hopes to become a middle income country by 2021 and to reach export earnings of $50 billion. The country has started exporting goods to non-traditional markets apart from the traditional ones. Chile, for instance, will grant Bangladeshi products duty-free market access from January 2015.

The readymade garment (both woven and knit) sector is a prime source of the country’s foreign currency incomes. Of the over four million employed in apparel sector 80 per cent are women. Knitwear factories in Bangladesh have maintained an aggregate 12 per cent growth. There are efforts to increase knitwear exports by seven per cent within the next seven years.

However, a serious hurdle exporters face is that of irregular supply of power, gas and water. As a result knitwear factories are now running to just 60 per cent of their capacity.