The Southern Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SGCCI) with the support of Federation of Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) plans to set up an extension office at Dhaka in Bangladesh to promote polyester fabrics, saris and dress materials manufactured in the country's largest man-made fabric (MMF) centre in Surat.

Recently, SGCCI delegation led by its president B S Agarwal had visited Bangladesh and held a series of meetings with the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, FBCCI, Chhitgong Chamber of Commerce and Industry at Dhaka to promote synthetic fabrics of Surat.

Agarwal said that Bangladesh is the top manufacturer of readymade garments and its garment industry uses around 90% cotton. There is huge potential for Surti fabrics, including saris and dress materials. The FBCCI office-bearers have invited Surti weavers and textile processors to set up their units in Dhaka and Chhitgong.

Agarwal said that the potential of Surti polyester fabric is huge in Bangladesh. It is unexplored market. FBCCI want Surat weavers and processors to set up units here for which they have promised SGCCI land on long-term lease for $2 per square metre per month.

The fabric samples will be sent to the SGCCI office at Dhaka and circulated in all the garmenting units there. They also require to register their fabrics with the buyers of top world-renowned readymade garment brands. Once Surat's fabric is registered, orders will start flowing for Surti traders.

The annual export of readymade garments from Bangladesh to Europe and the US is pegged at $28 billion. Most cotton fabric is sourced by garment manufacturers in Bangladesh from India and China. Bangladesh has free trade agreements (FTA) with all leading countries, including those of Europe and the US.