Bangladesh’s two leading apparel industry bodies have urged the government to withdraw or suspend a provision in the new Import Policy Order that bars the import of knit fabrics, warning that it could disrupt export-oriented garment production and undermine the sector’s competitiveness.
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) made the demand in separate letters to the Ministry of Commerce.
Under sub-clause 12 of Article 25 of the Import Policy Order 2026–2029, knit fabrics are not eligible for import.
The two trade bodies said the restriction should be suspended or withdrawn to ensure the smooth operation of export-oriented garment factories and allow exporters to meet the changing requirements of international buyers.
In a letter sent to the commerce minister on September 1, BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan said global buyers’ demands were constantly evolving, requiring garment manufacturers to diversify products and meet specific requirements on quality, design and delivery schedules.
For these reasons, exporters often need to source particular types of fabrics from overseas, he said.
BGMEA said fabrics of specific quality, composition, colour and design demanded by foreign buyers are not always available from domestic sources.
Restricting such imports, it said, could create difficulties for exporters in procuring essential raw materials and meeting buyers’ requirements.
The association warned that maintaining the provision could hamper the normal operations of export-oriented garment factories and weaken their ability to compete in the global market.
BGMEA has therefore called for retaining the facility to import necessary knit fabrics against back-to-back letters of credit.
BKMEA, in its letter to the commerce ministry, raised concerns over knit fabrics that have already arrived at Chattogram Port and are awaiting clearance.
It said various imported knit fabrics are currently lying in the open at the port, while many exporters have already completed the import process for such materials.
The new restriction could create complications in clearing the consignments and subsequently using the fabrics to manufacture goods for export, potentially affecting export shipments, BKMEA said.
BKMEA President Mohammad Hatem also urged the government to suspend or withdraw the provision.
He said exporters often needed to import fabrics from abroad to produce garments according to buyers’ specific requirements on quality and design.
The need for such imports has become more pressing as many export-oriented factories are facing production difficulties due to the gas crisis and other constraints, he added.
Both associations said Bangladesh’s garment industry needed continued access to imported raw materials that were not available locally in the required specifications.
They urged the government to reconsider the provision, arguing that ensuring flexibility in sourcing essential materials was necessary to protect the competitiveness of the country’s export-oriented apparel sector.