The silk industry in Bangladesh is facing difficult times due to a severe and highly competitive worldwide market. Despite a long history in sericulture, Bangladesh is not a household name in silk production or export. Although, a favourable agro-climate conditions exist, but Bangladesh Silk Industry produces a little amount of silk products compared to India and other nations. Throughout Asia, Bengal Silk was a popular fabric. It was known as Ganges silk as early as the 13th century and was well known in many European countries. However, Bengal silk had been pushed out of South Asian markets by the early twentieth century, primarily by Kashmir and Mysore silk. Industry experts also blamed inadequate government policies for Bangladesh's silk industry's decline in the 1990s and 2000s, when inexpensive Chinese silk flooded the market, causing it to suffer a decline in production. Since independence, the silk industry has received more focused attention, and recently, the country has launched a multi-million-dollar strategy to revitalise the industry and create hundreds of thousands of new employments as part of this initiative. In recent years, demand for Rajshahi silk has surged threefold as the Bangladeshi economy has flourished, but due to a lack of coordinated strategies, the industry is not standing out adequately.
While the sericulture sector is no stranger to competition, the Rajshahi silk industry faces additional challenges due to heavy bureaucracy, antiquated technology, a limited design portfolio, and transportation issues. No one should underestimate the challenges that must be overcome, but there are numerous reasons to be optimistic about a sector that has largely gone unnoticed and unmarked up to this point. Previously, my colleagues and I visited a number of silk production facilities in Rajsahi and met with over 30 silk industry leaders and owners on multiple occasions. This article was inspired by my prior experience and subsequent observations on how the industry is changing. My primary goal in writing this article is to look at a few critical issues that must be addressed if the sector is to reach its full potential and gain wider attention. Significant and long-term progress is unquestionably possible with wise investment and strategic planning.
Provisions for health and safety: For any industry to be really successful and lucrative, it must prioritise health and safety. This is not only prudent business practise, but it is also sensible in an age when clients are worried about provenance and ethical standards. Bangladesh's current health and safety practises are dismal by international standards, which is a huge issue for potential foreign buyers/investors. Digestive, ocular, and respiratory health, including asthma, dermatitis, and tuberculosis, are all areas of concern that require regular monitoring. It's also critical to set up mechanisms to ensure that chemicals and caustic materials are handled and stored with caution and under strict supervision. As a minimum, international clients need proper lighting, ventilation, sanitation, and laundry facilities (Hand washing with a 3 percent acetic solution is highly recommended.) Industrial plant and machinery are one area that needs special attention. Machinery is frequently overused and lacks basic covers or guards. The proper lubrication of machinery, the installation of sound baffles, and the usage of noise protection devices by employees can all help to reduce noise. To reduce the danger of accidents, any industrial complex must ensure that its personnel are properly trained and given ample breaks. A Health & Safety Officer may be a vital asset to the efficient operation of any business, and First Aid training and accident logs should be part of the routine. Employers have no need to be concerned about such provisions; they are simply standard operating procedure.
Employee care: Any firm trying to maximise profits must first cultivate a culture in which employees are encouraged to feel a feeling of ownership over the products they produce. This does not occur as a result of directives from on high, but rather as a result of recognising the importance of people in productivity. Employee rights must take precedence if a climate of loyalty, innovation, and quality is to be developed. Quality commercial enterprises invest in their employees because they see the value of doing so. Access to training, profit-sharing programmes, schools, health insurance, maternity benefits, pensions, and promotion possibilities are all examples of such investments. New employee medical examinations and regular medical supervision are quite useful in ensuring a healthy staff. Transparency and open lines of communication are essential, as is a safe working environment free of physical, sexual, and verbal harassment. Clear disciplinary procedures will be expected by international business partners, and companies that allow employees to join a union will be preferred. Because of several high-profile incidents, potential clients are very concerned about peonage and will frequently do their own investigations. A company's reputation, as well as the reputation of its products and services, is enhanced by establishing high standards of employee welfare.
Staff training: The training that a company provides its employees at all levels is critical to the company's long-term success. An unskilled or low-skilled labour has been proved to be a false economy; while wages may be kept low, such a workforce limits aspirations for the product. Training ensures a shared vision and is an important instrument in the innovation process. Whether it's for knowledge dissemination, gender sensitivity, health hazards, or quality control, training must be targeted. All too frequently, businesses disregard their own employees' abilities and input, focusing their training budget (if one exists) on those in management positions. Effective training ensures that staff have a thorough understanding of the company's operations. Forward-thinking companies inevitably bring in outside experience, both from within the sector and outside the industry as a whole. Training the Trainers techniques are extremely effective, yet they are only utilised infrequently. Management must strive to stay up to date on the most recent developments in modernisation, environmental consciousness, international expectations, and worldwide design portfolios. Sericulture is a continuously changing sector, and those businesses that do not learn and adapt will quickly fall behind.
Innovation and new technology: Businesses who are committed to improving their environmental credentials are looking for innovative ways to generate and save energy, as well as reduce their carbon footprint. Bangladesh is in a good position to harness solar energy and benefit from wind power (doubly relevant in a nation where power cuts are a way of life). The current water supply issues are a loud cry for additional research into strategies to ensure more efficient water collection and harvesting schemes. In addition, industries have begun to recognise the added value that can be gained by decreasing the usage of costly chemicals and dyes. Business leaders must naturally keep an eye on what is going on in Hangzhou and Suzhon (China), Surat (India), Como (Italy), Kyoto (Japan), and Jinju (Japan) since key sericulture centres provide a plethora of ideas. Bedding, curtains, silk floral arrangements, and wallpaper are examples of non-clothing products that serve to expand the product offering. While machinery is a significant investment, outmoded equipment is a significant barrier to competitiveness. Electronic Jacquard looms have previously demonstrated what can be done. Sericulture will improve organisational effectiveness by incorporating website culture.
Dhaka airport outlet: Annually, over four million international and one million domestic passengers pass through Dhaka's Zia International Airport. The airport's retail offering is now relatively limited, and the addition of a Rajshahi silk retail location would significantly improve it. It might boost trips and improve the region's status as a visiting destination. The factories as a whole could cover the rental and staffing costs, and they'd all profit from the high-profile exposure. A project like this would undoubtedly be welcomed by the local government, and it would also serve to raise Bangladesh's profile. There's no reason why a plan like this couldn't be implemented at Chittagong's Shah Amanat International Airport once it's established.
Additional challenges: In comparison to regional competitors, Bangladesh's federal government is less proactive when it comes to sericulture. The Ministry of Textiles, the Bangladesh Sericulture Board (BSB), and the Bangladesh Sericulture Research and Training Institute (BSRTI) all need to take a more outward-looking attitude, but bureaucracy is suffocating innovation as well. To increase every aspect of corporate efficiency, time and motion studies are desperately needed. Greater deregulation will undoubtedly aid enterprises in competing and gaining access to better silk moth breeds. The entire sector is suffering due to a fragmented industry, a predominantly unskilled workforce, and growing import costs. Water will become a major issue in the future decades, but it has yet to be adequately addressed or prepared for. If the industry is to thrive, more research into genetic diversity and disease resistance mulberry trees is required. There's also the issue of the tonnage of yarn produced against the tonnage required by the local industry. From research and development to design and new technologies, rival silk industries are racing ahead. Change is required in the industry. Sericulture has a long and distinguished history in Bangladesh, but it must adapt to survive. For international consumers, design has never been more important, but it's also critical not to ignore capacity, because a promise that isn't kept is a reputation that will last a lifetime.
Transportation: The smooth operation of any economic cycle requires a well-coordinated transportation system. The industry has been considerably impeded by the disjointed character of several components of transportation provision, which has damaged client trust. A deliberate effort must be undertaken from mulberry production to the distribution of completed silk goods to ensure that suppliers and distributors are properly positioned to perform their part in the process. Because of the nature of climatic circumstances, a contingency plan for the monsoon and dry seasons is required, as both can pose major problems. Forward planning is an important aspect of the business model, especially when it comes to the numerous chemicals and fertilisers that are needed during the manufacturing process. When it comes to bulk orders, there is also the opportunity for companies to collaborate and save delivery costs. Because this is a large employer, municipal governments and the national government must be properly informed of the main requirements. Air, rail, road, and even river transit are all viable possibilities, but their unplanned nature raises concerns. The storage and security of products in transportation must be carefully considered. While organisations are allowed to develop their own strategies, it is highly recommended that larger and smaller enterprises join together to obtain better pricing. To date, every evidence suggests that the federal government will be slow to fulfil its promises to the sector and the regions.
In Bangladesh, sericulture is at a crossroads; the choice is clear: stagnation and decline or innovation and survival. There is no reason why the industry cannot undergo a renaissance with bold and determined leadership; the question is, what role will you play in ensuring this renaissance?