Feature: Chinese shoemaker in Bangladesh successfully rides out pandemic tide

DHAKA, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- The COVID-19 pandemic has caused an economic shock to industries and businesses worldwide and the Bangladeshi shoe-making industry was also dealt a serious blow.

Panda Shoes Industry Ltd. was no exception.

Thousands of households in the Gazipur district on the outskirts of the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka have become better off after the Chinese-invested shoe-making factory opened there in 2012.

The factory overcame many difficulties, including those related to the pandemic and its local employees.

Panda Shoes Industry Ltd. has not only brought investment and development opportunities to the Gazipur district, but also provided jobs at local Mazukhan villagers' doorsteps.

Moreover, its shoe production has paid special focus on protecting the environment.

Cai Chunlei, managing director of Panda Shoes Industry Ltd., told Xinhua recently that the pandemic in the past three years has resulted in the stagnation of many enterprises, which has brought great inconvenience to their business in Bangladesh.

Especially, he said, factors such as the poor flow of people and goods caused by the pandemic and the difficulties of entry and departure from China have caused unusual difficulties in doing business abroad.

As the pandemic gradually subsides, he said, "I hope that we can strive to open this people-and-trade flow as soon as possible, and eliminate inconveniences in all aspects."

Cai said China has addressed recovering from the pandemic step by step and it's now more convenient for overseas Chinese to enter and depart the country, so as to recover losses incurred over the past two or more years soon.

"Our Panda Shoe Industry has been developing in Bangladesh for more than 10 years, from less than 100 people at the beginning, to more than 2,000 local employees now," said Cai, hoping the factory will promote the development of the whole village of Mazukhan as well.

"Our goal is also to be the best local enterprise in Bangladesh. We have been working hard to have more local workers, use locally appropriate management models and local materials," he said, noting that the company has given special attention to the living environment for employees.

"We also improve the quality of our products while improving ourselves, try to control the cost of our products, and strive to provide the people of Bangladesh with high-quality and affordable Panda shoes going into the future," he added.

Mosammat Mauri Akhter is a factory worker. She said there has been a lot of improvement in their lives since the Panda Shoes factory was established.

Because of this, she said poverty has been reduced greatly. "Thanks to this Chinese company, our area has improved greatly. Roads and shops have been built and we can pay our house rent, thus previously poor families are becoming more prosperous," Akhter said.

Akhter is satisfied with her job and life now.

"Unemployment is decreasing, we are being given medical benefits, we are being given holidays on two Eids in a year, bonuses are being given during the two Eid festivals and holiday money is being given annually," she said.

Saiful Islam Khadem is a senior executive of the factory. He said they had achieved their desired goal of production when the whole world came to a standstill due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the meantime, he said their enterprise has been building an effluent treatment plant (ETP) as a 100 percent ETP plant is needed to dispose of all factories' waste, he said.

"About 70 percent of our ETP plant project has been completed. We hope that the environment of our factory, and the surrounding environment will be beautiful and orderly."

Suman Kumar Chakraborty is the manager of Panda Shoes.

During the pandemic, he said they had done everything successfully to control the disease, starting from the vaccination of all workers.

"Having overcome this situation, we at Panda Shoes Industry Ltd. are in a very good position in terms of production," he said.

Susan, a Chinese national who came to Bangladesh four years ago, also works for the Panda Shoes Industry Ltd..

"I love Bangladesh, I Iove Bangladeshi people and I love the environment here very much," she said.

"Panda Shoes believes in saving the environment," said the Chinese factory staff member.