Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Bangladesh Bank Governor Atiur Rahman, and HSBC Bangladesh Chief Executive Francois de Maricourt pose with exporters awarded by HSBC for their excellence in business, at Radisson Hotel in Dhaka on Friday. Photo: Star

Leading global bank HSBC has awarded five exporters for their leadership in promoting the country and contributing to its sustainable economic growth.

Finance Minister AMA Muhith handed over the 5th HSBC Export Excellence Awards to the winners at a ceremony at Radisson Hotel in Dhaka on Friday.

DBL Group, one of the fastest growing apparel companies, bagged the award in the textile and readymade garment category, which covers firms with annual export turnover of $50 million or more.

The family-run company, set up in 1991, is one of the largest export-oriented composite knit garments and textile manufacturers in Bangladesh. Its products are exported to more than 45 countries, including Germany, Sweden, Spain, the UK, Canada, the USA, Japan, Brazil, India and China.

It has customers such as H&M, Wal-Mart, Esprit, Puma, G-Star and Decathlon.

This was the third time that the group was awarded after it won the honour in the first edition of the awards in 2010 and also last year.

In his reaction, Mohammed Abdul Jabbar, managing director of DBL, said: “We are concentrating more and more on sustainable and ethical business practices. We have put a lot of emphasis on corporate governance and environmental sustainability, and strongly believe that if people are happy, the company will continue its growth journey.”

Epyllion Group became the exporter of the year in the same category with annual export turnover less than $50 million.

Epyllion has been engaged in manufacturing and exporting knit apparels since 1994. The company is renowned for its high quality products and efficient management. Epyllion exports to more than 10 countries, including Germany, the UK, the Netherlands, Sweden, France, the USA, Mexico and India. Reaz Uddin Al-Mamoon, managing director of the company, said the award will inspire the company and its employees to reach the next level of success.

He also said skilled human resources are going to be the key factor for the country to raise exports. “There are forecasts that Bangladesh's exports will be $50 billion in less than a decade, which means we will need expert CEOs, chartered accountants and employees to run a billion dollar company.”

“If we can build human resources, nothing can stop us,” the entrepreneur said.

Chittagong-based Pacific Jeans Group, which specialises in producing premium quality jeans and casual wear, was awarded in the category of enterprises in the export processing zones of Bangladesh.

Based in Chittagong EPZ, the company currently exports to more than 25 countries, including Japan, the USA, China, Korea, the UK, Singapore, Taiwan, Canada, Hong Kong and France. Set up in 1984, it also won the same award in the 2011 and 2013 editions of the awards.

Syed M Tanvir, director of Pacific Jeans, said branding has become important for the country, and companies like his should take the lead in branding the country abroad.  

Picard Bangladesh won the award in the category of exporters in traditional and emerging sectors, with annual export turnover of $5 million or more.

A pioneer in producing consumer leather goods, Picard exports to around 20 countries, including Germany, Italy, Lithonia, Australia, Singapore and Japan.

The company also produces for brands such as Sportscraft, Saba, Oxford, JAG, David Jones, Lloyd, Kitamura, Clathas, Max & Co and Pennyblack.

Md Saiful Islam, managing director of Picard Bangladesh, said the country needs to diversify its exports instead of relying on apparels, which account for around 80 percent of the total overseas sales.

AgroKagri Commodities won the HSBC award in the small and medium enterprises category. Based in Chittagong, AgroKagri exports potatoes to countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Sri Lanka, Senegal and China.

Its CEO Abdul Hamid received the award on behalf of the company, which was set up in 2011.

Muhith said Bangladesh was right to continue its exports-led growth strategy even after the 2008 global recession when many had predicted that the strategy might prove ineffective as the country's key export destinations were hit hard.

"But our exports have doubled since 2009," he said, adding that exports would bring $50 billion within the next three years.

The minister said Bangladesh's strength lies in value addition and the country should continue taking advantage of this strength.

Bangladesh Bank Governor Atiur Rahman said the awards will inspire exporters to expand their business internationally, and will help them adopt international best practices. “Bangladesh's success story is the success story of the entrepreneurs.”

Rahman said the exporters are also making successful inroads with newer goods and services into newer markets with thrusts in other non-textile and non-apparel export services.

HSBC Bangladesh Chief Executive Francois de Maricourt said the export sector has been the driving force of the economy, not just in terms of bringing in foreign currency but also in terms of promoting resilience and diversity.

He said trade has always been at the heart of HSBC's business.

"Our earliest customers were merchants looking to fund their trade in goods such as tea, cotton and silk. The exporters of Bangladesh are responsible for not only driving economic growth but also for establishing the 'Bangladesh' brand across the world's major developed and faster-growing markets."

Bhuvnesh Khanna, country head of commercial banking of HSBC Bangladesh, said, “HSBC's unparalleled network covers all the major trading nations of the world including Bangladesh. As one of the leading international trade banks, we are well positioned to connect Bangladeshi exporters to rising global opportunities."

"Through HSBC Export Excellence Awards, we continue to bring forward the achievements of our exporters and the immense export potential that Bangladesh has to offer.”

On the eve of the awards ceremony, Latifur Rahman, chairman and chief executive officer of Transcom Group, termed the initiative of HSBC  outstanding.

He said quality is critical to ensure excellence and competitiveness in exports markets. “There should be no compromise on quality,” said Rahman, who won the prestigious Oslo Business for Peace Award in 2012.

The Daily Star, the daily Prothom Alo and Bangladesh Brand Forum are the strategic partners of the annual event.

HSBC, headquartered in London, facilitates around 10 percent of Bangladesh's international trade.

This is the top trade award for exporters in the private sector. Its jury board looked at financial performance, business diversification, compliance, contribution to the economy and past achievements and recognition in picking this year's winners.