Bangladesh’s garment and textile sectors have stepped up collaboration through a major joint initiative, as industry leaders warn of growing global challenges ahead of the country’s graduation from least developed country (LDC) status.
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) on Tuesday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly organise the Bangladesh International Textile and Apparel Machinery Exhibition (BITMA).
The agreement was signed at a ceremony at Gulshan Club in the capital, with BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan and BTMA President Showkat Aziz Russell representing their respective organisations.
Under the deal, the two apex bodies will jointly host the international exhibition in Dhaka with support from a reputed global exhibition management firm.
The exhibition will showcase advanced textile and garment machinery, artificial intelligence-based manufacturing technologies, automation solutions, sustainable production systems and emerging global fashion trends.
Industry leaders said the initiative would go beyond a trade fair, creating a long-term platform for closer coordination between the country’s two key export-oriented sectors.
BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan stressed that unity within the industry is essential to sustain global competitiveness, noting that competing countries often try to exploit internal divisions.
He reiterated the sector’s ambition to raise garment exports to $100 billion, but said this must be matched by a significant increase in domestic value addition to at least $20 billion.
He emphasised that achieving this goal would require stronger backward linkage industries, particularly in spinning and textiles.
BTMA President Showkat Aziz Russell said the partnership would transform the association’s existing biennial exhibition into a larger and more globally recognised event.
He added that the initiative would allow local entrepreneurs to access cutting-edge technologies without travelling abroad.
Former BGMEA president and Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI) President Anwar-ul Alam Chowdhury (Parvez) described the collaboration as a milestone at a critical time for the industry.
He said Bangladesh is facing a transition marked by changes in global trade rules, tariff structures and policy barriers under the evolving World Trade Organization framework.
He warned that the country would lose certain duty-free benefits after LDC graduation, alongside challenges such as compliance with new trade provisions.
Industry insiders noted that the garment and textile sectors account for more than 86 percent of Bangladesh’s export earnings and around 60 percent of manufacturing employment.
They said the sectors will remain the main drivers of economic stability in the near term, as emerging industries like light engineering and digital sectors take time to mature.
Leaders also highlighted the need for export diversification, policy support and technological upgrading to maintain growth momentum.
The MoU provides for a 10-member joint organising committee to oversee strategic planning, management and financial transparency of the exhibition, with leadership rotating annually between the two organisations.
Business leaders said stronger cooperation would help resolve policy gaps, reduce misunderstandings and support more effective decision-making.
They also called for measures to cut production costs, including encouraging international suppliers to manufacture spare parts locally and establishing a joint arbitration mechanism to resolve disputes between yarn producers and garment exporters.
Apparel sector leaders expressed hope that the initiative would accelerate technology transfer, attract investment, enhance workforce skills and strengthen Bangladesh’s position as a global hub for sustainable textile and apparel manufacturing.