For the first time, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) will be organizing the 25th edition of Bangladesh Apparel and Textile Exhibition (BATEXPO) outside Bangladesh.
BATEXPO-2014 will take place in Paris from September 16-18, 2014. The event is expected to see participation of 75 BGMEA companies and 25 non-BGMEA member companies. BGMEA organizes the annual event as part of its promotional activities to increase export destinations for Bangladeshi readymade garments. Paris was chosen for this year's three-day expo as France can act as a gateway to other European countries as well as to Latin American countries like Argentina and Brazil.
On the sidelines of the exhibition, BGMEA will organize a seminar focusing on the prospects of Bangladesh's apparel industry. Clothing exports from Bangladesh increased by 14.83 percent to US$ 22.178 billion during July-May 2013-14, as per the data from the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB). Of this, exports to France fetched $1.396 billion, with knitwear contributing $869 million and woven garments accounting for the remaining $527 million.