Commerce Minister Altaf Hossain Choudhury formally inaugurated the fifth version of the show, while Mir Nasir Hossain, president of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI), and Dewan Sultan Ahmed, FBCCI vice president, were present.

A total of 200 companies from 20 countries are showcasing around one thousand latest machinery brands relating to sewing, knitting, embroidery, laundry, dyeing and cutting at over 185 stalls at the show titled 'Zak Garmentech Bangladesh-2006'.

Companies from Japan, China, Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the Netherlands, Singapore, Germany, Italy, UK, US, India and Thailand are showcasing their latest apparel technologies at the exposition, organised by Zak Trade Fairs and Exhibitions Private Ltd, an India-based exhibition management company, in association with Zakaria Enterprise Ltd, Dhaka.

The commerce minister said in the changed global economic scenario, local RMG (readymade garments) exporters should concentrate not only on quantity but also on high quality of goods to meet the prerequisites of the international market.

The minister said, "Our garment exporters should upgrade their technology and set up backward linkage industries to diversify exports".

In this regard, such exhibition as 'Garmentech-2006' can play an important role in updating information about latest garment and textile machinery for the manufacturers and exporters, he added.

FBCCI president said, "Time has come for us to shift to high-end garments to face the preference of erosion and have more market access to the developed countries."

So, the country has to develop the apparel industry by using latest machinery that other competitors use, he felt.

Garment entrepreneurs from Bangladesh and its neighboring countries will get a chance to keep abreast of the newest technologies of apparel industry from the fair, said Syed Zakir Ahmed, managing director of Zak Trade Fairs and Exhibitions.

He said the show is expected to see a Tk 100 crore business this time, whereas participants sold products worth Tk 48 crore at the last show.

The fair will remain open for visitors from 10am to 7pm everyday.

Among others, Md Zakaria Bhuiya, chairman and managing director of Zakaria Enterprise, and Tipu Sultan, general manager, were present at the function.