BGMEA, BKMEA call for repeal of knit fabric import ban

The country’s two leading apparel associations have urged the government to repeal or suspend a provision in the new import policy that prohibits the import of knit fabrics.
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) made the demand in separate letters sent to the Ministry of Commerce.
In their letters, the associations stated that Article 25, Sub-clause 12 of the Import Policy Order 2026–2029 stipulates that “knit fabrics shall not be eligible for import.”
They urged the government to suspend or withdraw the provision, saying it could disrupt the normal operations of export-oriented garment factories and undermine their competitiveness.
Both associations said access to imported raw materials is essential for maintaining the competitiveness of Bangladesh’s apparel industry. 
BGMEA specifically called for maintaining the facility to import necessary knit fabrics through back-to-back letters of credit (LCs).
In a letter sent to the commerce minister on 1 September, BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan said the demands of international buyers are constantly changing, requiring manufacturers to diversify their products while maintaining specified quality and designs and ensuring timely delivery.
For these reasons, manufacturers often need to source specific types of fabrics from abroad. Restricting such imports could disrupt the normal operations of export-oriented garment manufacturers, it also added.
BGMEA said fabrics meeting the specific quality, type, colour and design requirements of foreign buyers are not always available locally. As a result, manufacturers are often required to import fabrics from overseas sources. If the relevant provision of the new policy remains in force, exporters may face difficulties in procuring the raw materials they need, the association said.
Meanwhile, BKMEA said various types of imported knit fabrics have already arrived at Chattogram port and are currently lying in open storage. Many exporters have already completed the import procedures for these fabrics.
The association warned that the new policy could create complications in clearing the fabrics from the port and exporting the finished products made from them, potentially disrupting export activities.
BKMEA President Mohammad Hatem made the demand in a letter sent to the Ministry of Commerce and the National Board of Revenue (NBR). The information came from the letter dated 3 September.
Hatem urged the authorities to suspend or withdraw the provision. He said imported fabrics are often necessary.