Textile and garment leaders urge government support to save spinning sector
Closure of the spinning sector would directly impact the employment of millions of workers and affect banks and financial institutions
Three influential industry bodies have called on the government to provide urgent policy support to help the country's textile sector, especially spinning mills, which they say are struggling financially and operationally.
At a meeting held today (18 November) in Gulshan, industry leaders warned that without immediate intervention, Bangladesh's spinning sector could shut down at any time.
"Closure of the spinning sector would directly impact the employment of millions of workers and affect banks and financial institutions. Our country's leading textile and apparel exports would become dependent on other countries, which is a grave warning for the industry," a press release reads.
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The meeting was attended by Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu, president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA); Showkat Aziz Russell, president of the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA); and Mohammad Hatem, president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), along with senior leaders from the sector. They discussed the growing challenges faced by the industry and proposed urgent measures to safeguard it.
Speaking to The Business Standard, a BTMA leader said, "Neighbouring India has provided various incentives to make its textile sector globally competitive, while our incentives have been reduced. We urge the government to provide immediate special support to the sector, or Bangladesh's key export raw materials will remain import-dependent."
The meeting also addressed the recently issued Bangladesh Labour (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025. Leaders criticised the ordinance for including important provisions that were not part of the joint decisions taken at the Tripartite Consultative Council (TCC).
Mohammad Hatem told TBS, "The government has amended the labour law at its own discretion, which is a blueprint for the destruction of the industry." Industry leaders urged the government to revise the ordinance in line with TCC recommendations without delay.
