HSBC Bangladesh has awarded five exporters in recognition of their contribution to promoting Bangladeshi goods abroad.
The foreign bank handed over the “HSBC Export Excellence Awards 2010” to the winners at a gala ceremony at Sonargaon Hotel in the city on Tuesday.
The second version of the award honoured the winners from five categories this year.
The award winning companies are Square Textile, Interfab Shirt Manufacturing, Pacific Jeans, Apex Adelchi Footwear and Graphic People.
Square Textile and Interfab Shirt Manufacturing won the awards in readymade garment and textile category, while Pacific Jeans won in enterprise in the export processing zone category.
Apex Adelchi Footwear earned the recognition under the exporters in the traditional and emerging sector category and Graphic People in small and medium enterprise category.
Managing Director of Square Textile Tapan Chowdhury, MD of Interfab Shirt Manufacturing Ahsan Kabir Khan, Director of Pacific Jeans Group Sayed Mohammad Tanvir, MD of Apex Adelchi Syed Nasim Manzur and Chairperson of Graphic People Geeteara Safiya Choudhury received the awards on behalf of their respective companies.
On the occasion, Planning Minister AK Khandker, who handed over the trophies to the winners, said the readymade garment has been the brightest sector of the country over the years.
“But we should also remember the emergence of the SME sector. Quality, processing and timeliness will ensure long-term sustainability of the RMG business,” he said.
Marketing guru Philip Kotler, who came to Bangladesh on a three-day visit on Tuesday, said countries such as Bangladesh and China have no global brands although the population of the two countries is higher than many other countries.
On the other hand, countries like Switzerland with a population of only seven million have produced a good number of international brands, he said.
He said even Singapore, a small country, has global brands such as Singapore Airlines, but Bangladesh has no such brands despite having 16 crore people. “Brand is a story and marketing is the story telling,” said Kotler, a distinguished professor of Kellogg School of Management.
He said there are two kinds of marketing, including expensive and creative ones. He said an average company does not last long. “Ethics and values of companies are also important regarding branding and marketing.”
Sanjay Prakash, chief executive officer of HSBC Bangladesh, said more than 75 percent of the country’s exports come from the RMG sector. “Sustained export growth can help Bangladesh become a developed country,” he said.
Mahbub-ur-Rahman, head of corporate banking of HSBC Bangladesh, said Bangladesh is the fourth largest exporter of RMG products worldwide. But it could only grab 5 percent of the US apparel market and 7 percent of the European market. “We have scopes to grow in exports to those markets.”
The jute sector is going to touch the one billion dollar mark soon, said Rahman, adding that the prospect of footwear industry is also bright.
-With The Daily Star input
