(BSS) – Prime Minister’s Adviser and Spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Mahdi Amin today said that 100 percent domestic employment in the country’s readymade garment (RMG) industry is possible without foreign officials.

“Even after half a century of this industry, it is still noticed that foreign officials and experts are brought in to work in many factories and buying houses. But we have the talent, skills and competence to become fully self-reliant,” he said.

The PMO spokesperson added: “Not only within the country, if we can build a sustainable education system and a quality working environment, one day talented Bangladeshi professionals will also be recruited by other countries for senior positions.”

He made the remarks while taking part in a discussion titled “Innovation in Apparel and Textile: Driving Competitiveness and Growth”, organised by the Ministry of Science and Technology at the Novo Theatre in the capital this afternoon, said a press release.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inaugurated the “Bangladesh Innovation Fair 2026” on Saturday. The discussion was held on the second day of the three-day fair, which carries the theme “Innovate to Market”. Prominent figures from the apparel, education and banking sectors took part in the discussion.

Mahdi Amin said the government is giving the highest priority to creating sustainable employment opportunities for the youth and generating demand for Bangladeshi workers in the international labour market.

To achieve this goal, he said, pragmatic measures are being taken to strengthen close links among technical education, industry and academia, and establish public-private partnerships through curriculum reform.

Describing the readymade garment sector as a symbol of emotion and heritage of the country’s economy, the adviser said Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman laid the foundation of the sector by introducing landmark policies such as bonded warehouses, duty-free import of raw materials and cash incentives.

He also highlighted the sector’s undeniable contribution to women’s empowerment.

Mahdi Amin said the current government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, is working to modernise the sector by reopening closed factories, simplifying incentives and holding discussions with all stakeholders, including the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA).

Regarding the use of technology in the apparel sector, he clearly said that workers’ employment cannot be taken away under any circumstances in the name of technological advancement.

“This sector has reached its present position on the strength of the sacrifices of working people. Therefore, the government’s main objective is to strike the right balance between technological modernisation and protection of human resources,” the PMO spokesperson said.

Calling for building a bridge between students’ theoretical knowledge and practical work in factories, he said alongside introducing postgraduate and diploma courses at the university level, it is necessary to arrange internship, career fairs for students, as well as establish a `Centre of Excellence`.

Mahdi Amin said the government is also actively considering providing seed capital for new startup projects by young innovators.

BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan, BTMA President Showkat Aziz Russell, National Board of Revenue Member for Customs, Export Bond and IT Farzana Afrose, BGMEA University of Fashion and Technology (BUFT) Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr Engineer Ayub Nabi Khan, H&M Regional Country Manager Ziaur Rahman, HSBC Bangladesh Country Head of Corporate and Institutional Banking and Global Network Banking Shadab Hossain and HSBC Bangladesh Head of Global Apparel Supply Chain Md. Ashfaqur Rahman took part in the discussion.

After the discussion, the Prime Minister’s adviser visited various innovative stalls of government and private organisations, universities and startups participating in the fair.