The textile industry has a special importance in the national economy of Bangladesh for its meaningful participation in the creation of employment and exports. Export of textiles and garments are the principal source of foreign exchange earnings.
Bangladesh secured the second position in producing garments just after China in 2016. Bangladesh is the world's second-largest apparel exporter of western (fast) fashion brands. In the financial year 2012-13, the contribution of RMG (woven and knitwear) to national export was 79.61% or $21.51 billion and it increased in 2016-2017.
The RMG industry generated US$28.14 billion, which was 81.23% of the total export earnings in exports and 12.36% of the GDP. According to BGMEA about 4 million people are employed in the RMG sector (around 80% are female) in 4,482 factories.
In early industrialization of Bangladesh, for a flourishing industry there were not enough technical hands from textile educational institutes. The industry was having only around 40graduates in a whole year from Bangladesh University of Textiles (Previously known as College of Textile Engineering & Technology).
During that time, owners didn't have any choice but to hire experienced technicians on mid and high levels from our neighboring countries like India, Sri Lanka for their communication skill.
Bangladesh becomes third (10.225 billions) on the remittances of India in 2018, most of it comes from foreign credentials working in textiles and other factories of Bangladesh.
Many non tech (not sound in profession) people are working on higher positions due to their relationship with owners of textile and garment industries which lead to less production and decrease of export.
The majority of the universities textile graduates take posts in the textile manufacturing industries as process or production officer, marketing executives or technologists.
Graduates have found employment in production, merchandising, design, textile testing and quality assurance, new product development, buying house, commercial banks, customs, etc.
It takes much time to become manager or high level employee for lack of practical and communication skills compared to technicians from other countries.So this is high time to create efficient mid and high level professionals for textiles and garments industries.
There are three other public universities along with BUTEX, eighteen private universities and some colleges offering textile education in Bangladesh. Southeast University is one of the leading private universities in the field of textile education.
The permanent campus of Southeast University at Tejgoan has great laboratory facilities along with research opportunities. Upgrading practical knowledge through several industrial visits and training compel for talented, competent and caring textile engineers.
Most of them are driving the different textile sector of Bangladesh as well as obtaining international scholarships and waiver for higher education from different countries of the world.
Ms Ishrat Zerin is a Lecturer, Department of Textile Engineering, Southeast University
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