Textile Industry Scenario of Bangladesh-6

Summary

The future of the Bangladeshi textile production lies in the development of high-value-added products, suitable for, in the short term, export markets, but, in the long term, the local market. In order to develop such products, Bangladesh needs strengthening of its design potential. This should mainly be done training Bangladeshi designers, but for, short term gains in the export markets, the use of foreign designers will be necessary. The foreign designers should, however, have training in the workplace as an import integrated part of their work. This way, product development and training in the workplace will be combined, giving both short term and longer-term effects.

The Textile industry and the jute mills need to export to large and varied markets For the crafts producers the much smaller high value niche markets are the most important. Accordingly, the proposals for the further involvement of DwB, is divided into two, concentrating on the large jute mills and the smaller crafts producers. We have not made any project proposal for design and product development in the clothing industry, partly because this is a large sector of which our knowledge is limited, and partly because we believe that supporting the newly established schools teaching designers for this industry, is important at this time.


1. The Jute and Textile Mills

The proposal is to concentrate on innovative product development in all, or selected areas, of jute and Textile production in collaboration with, for instance, the Industrial Design Department at the School of Architecture in Oslo, Norway, and/or the NTNU University in Trondheim, Norway.


2. The Crafts producers

The proposal is to establish a program consisting of several elements, where the role of DwB is to develop a product and training program built on the experiences made by the Dutch designers in the Norad jute project and the textile designer Jackie Corlett´s ideas and experience on training in the workplace.

3. The Design Education Institutions

I do not recommend establishing a cooperation programme with the design education institutions, as they are very young and weak. However, the design institutions should, if possible, become integrated in the other programmes in the sense that designers or design students involved in program 1 and 2 also can take part in teaching, training and learning activities in and in exchange with the schools.

Literature

Chand, Vinay: Draft Report on Norad´s Jute Project

Corlett, Jackie: Discovering Design - design education in a development situation, Middlesex University 1995

Gnuznavi, Sayyada Ruby: Rangeen – Natural Dyes of Bangladesh, Dhaka 2002

Islam,Sadequel: The Textile and Clothing Industry if Bangladesh in a Changing World Economy, Dhaka 2001

Latif, Muhammad Abdul: Handloom Industry of Bangladesh 1947-90, Dhaka 1997

Sayem, A.S.M.: Paper of January 10th 2002, as presented on the web June 18th 2003

Zaman, Niaz: The Art of Kantha Embroidery

Appendix

Contacts and/or potential partners

Aids to Artisans

Will have to be investigated.

Ahsanulla University

Will have to be investigated.

AUTEX Association for the Universities of Textiles

Will have to be investigated.

Bangladesh Handicrafts Manufacturing and Exporter Association, Banglacraft.

Banglacraft is the crafts businesses´ trade organisation, which currently is busy planning to build a design and research development centre in Dhaka. Membership is compulsory by law. Around 200 crafts businesses are members. The organisation is the seat of political fractions and is critisized for being inefficient and unlawful.


Bangladesh College of Textile Technology

This college under the Dhaka University is teaching students of textile. I heard little about it in Bangladesh and also found very little information is available on Internet. Academic director: M. Rahman.

Address: Tejgaon 1

1208, Dhaka

Bangladesh

Some say this government institution does have computers with CAD-Cam programs but that the college does not know how to use them.

Development of linkages between SCIs and large and medium sized industries.

BSCIC has developed a total of 30 industrial estates throughout the country to foster the growth of SCIs in a balanced manner, planning, development and construction works for another 54 estates are under execution so that there is at least one industrial estate in each district of the country.

Having not met anyone from the BSCIC during my stay in Bangladesh, this organization should be visited later. We need to know more about their activities and their degree of success.

Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, BUET

Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, abbreviated as BUET, claims to be one of the most prestigious institutions for higher studies in the country. About five thousand students are pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate studies in engineering, architecture, planning and science in this institution. The total number of teachers is over four hundred. The BUET campus is in the heart of Dhaka. It has a compact campus with halls of residence within walking distances of the academic buildings. The physical expansion of the University over the last three decades has been impressive with construction of new academic buildings, auditorium complex, halls of residence etc.

Faculties
• Faculty of Architecture & Planning:
• Faculty of Civil Engineering:
• Faculty of Electrical & Electronic Engineering:
• Faculty of Engineering:
• Faculty of Mechanical Engineering:

Grameen Ghanashasto Textile Mills Ltd

In the chapter on the handloom industry, it is mentioned that Grameen Uddogg is running a successful export hand weaving business selling Grameen checks. It is interesting to find out more about their export strategy and design experience.

The national Handloom Board

I have not been able to find information on the Bangladesh Handloom Board on Internet.

International design education institutions

It will be necessary to find good cooperation partners in Norway or other Western countries if DwB is going to realize any of the project proposals.

International design companies

It will be necessary to find good cooperation partners in Norway or other Western countries if DwB is going to realize any of the project proposals.

International design and crafts organizations

It will be necessary to find good cooperation partners in Norway or other Western countries if DwB is going to realize any of the project proposals.


National Crafts Council of Bangladesh (Bangladesh Jatiya Karushilpa Parishad)

The National Crafts Council of Bangladesh (NCCB) was established in 1985 to research, develop and promote the indigenous crafts of the country. There are 200-250 members.

The NCCB plans to undertake a major project to research, document and publish a book, “Textile Traditions of Bangladesh”, on the four prime textile traditions of this country; Jamdani, silk, indigenous weaves and Kantha embroidery. It will study and document the traditional techniques, the looms and other ancillary tools, yarns and dyes used in the production process. An important component of the project is the following up of the creative interaction of four of the best designers with the finest weavers and embroiderers of the country.

South Asia Enterprise Development Facility, SEDF

The South Asia Enterprise Development Facility (SEDF) was launched in October 2002 to support sustainable growth and development of the SME sector in Bangladesh, Northeast India, Bhutan and Nepal. The bulk of SEDF’s resources are geared toward assisting Bangladesh’s SMEs, which account for over 80 percent of the industrial labor force and 50 percent of the nation’s output. Boosting competitiveness and productivity of the SME sector will translate to higher incomes for its workers and greater employment in an economy where half the population, representing 60 million people, remains in poverty. Partnering with IFC, the World Bank Group, other development institutions, as well as the public and private sector, SEDF is strengthening local SMEs through programs based on four strategic pillars:

Access to Finance

Providing banks training courses, technical assistance (TA), workshops and seminars to improve their operating efficiency and increase their SME lending

Assisting SMEs in writing loan applications and good business plans

Business Development Services Programs to “train the trainers” or build capacity of local training institutions and consultants so they can then offer local firms highly flexible, affordable, and more SME-focused technical and managerial training opportunities

Business Enabling Environment working with SMEs, SME business associations and policy-makers to mobilize efforts toward greater SME advocacy

Special Projects

Establishing linkages between SMEs and large corporate in key sub-sectors (e.g. agribusiness and ready-made garments) as a source of SME growth and job creation

Increasing inter-regional trade between Bangladesh and Northeast India

Headquartered in Dhaka, Bangladesh, SEDF is managed by the IFC SME Department. Donors include UK, Canada, ADB, IFC, DFID.


Traidcraft

Traidcraft is the UK’s leading fair trade organization, which was set up in 1979 to challenge the unfair way in which international trading systems are usually structured. Traidcraft operates on the principle that by paying a fair price for the products we buy, and establishing long-term relationships of partnership and co-operation, we can help poor communities to work their way out of poverty and create a more equitable world. Most of Traidcraft’s trading partners are community-based enterprises and associations of smallholder farmers organized for the benefit of their producers and growers. Traidcraft can give producers access to credit, which allows them to buy the raw materials they need. We also support training programmes, which develop the skills and knowledge of our producers. Traidcraft is a Christian initiative, which welcomes co-operation with all who share a concern for fairer trade.

Voluntary Service Overseas

The VSO is a Britain-based NGO helping volunteers to find positions in developing countries. The VSO has designers among their volunteers, having received requests for craft, product and technical designers to work in countries as diverse as Nepal, Zambia, Namibia and Bangladesh.

VSO volunteers with a background in craft or product design work in two main types of placement. Some work in educational institutions training students, others work with local craftspeople and small enterprises, advising on the design, production and marketing of goods produced with local materials. Relevant degree or HND with two years related experience is necessary Qualifications. Marketing experience will be required for some posts.

Maybe the VSO can be a partner in part of the program that Design without Borders will be developing.