Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) President Faruque Hassan sought the support from the Ministry of Textiles and Jute in paving the way for research on making fabrics from sustainable materials like jute and bamboo.

He held a meeting with Textiles and Jute Minister Jahangir Kabir Nanak at the Secretariat in Dhaka on Wednesday.

They discussed issues related to the development of the apparel and textile industry in Bangladesh, with a particular focus on enhancing the local textile industry’s capacity in production of non-cotton yarn and fabrics.

The meeting also encompassed exploring opportunities and strategies to enhance value addition in the RMG sector by using yarn and fabrics manufactured by local textile mills.

Faruque Hassan urged the government to ensure a continuous and smooth gas supply to all export-oriented industries, including ready-made garment (RMG) and textiles, to facilitate seamless production.

He apprised the minister of the apparel industry’s special emphasis on producing value-added garments based on man-made fibres to meet the increasing demand in the global market.

The gradual shift towards non-cotton products has led to an increase in demand for yarn and fabrics, BGMEA president said, adding that the local textile sector could meet this demand by developing its capabilities.

“This, in turn, would contribute to an enhanced value addition to garments.”

Faruque Hassan highlighted the industry’s ongoing transition towards sustainability and circularity, aligning with global business trends.

He stressed the need for exploring the potential of manufacturing fabrics from jute, aligning with the growing demand for eco-friendly apparel in the global market. He also mentioned BGMEA’s ongoing efforts to promote development of high-value fashionable garments using locally produced heritage fabrics like Muslin, Jamdani, Khadi and link them to the export market.