Experts say Bangladesh's readymade garments (RMG) sector, is facing serious shortage of skilled workforce, which is likely to slow down upgradation and transformation of the garment industry. Also there is a lack of investment in new machinery and technologies.

Manpower shortage poses a major constraint to realisation of the sector's true growth potential, in terms of productivity and production of high-end apparels. At present the country's apparel sector is facing the shortage of about 0.11 million skilled manpower, from floor to executive level, as per the Directorate of Textile (DoT).

If exporters fail to fill up the positions of highly skilled middle management officials and skilled workers needed in the sector, this problem will become more complex. The gap may be as high as 182,000 by the year 2021 when the country's RMG sector is planned to hit US$ 50 billion export, according to a report by DoT. Information from the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (KBMEA) and the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) provided information for the DoT report.

Md. Ismail, Director, DoT, argues they are unable to produce enough skilled manpower to keep pace with demands from the apparel sector. The government, though, has already undertaken a plan to meet the shortage of textile engineers and technologists in the country by a proposal to set up at least two dozen textile engineering colleges and vocational institutes. The low educational level of workers is contributing to inefficiency in the garment factories at present. There is a 25 per cent shortage of skilled workers in Bangladesh's RMG industry at present, according to industry sources.