Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly organize the Bangladesh International Textile and Apparel Machinery Exhibition (BITMA), an annual global exhibition aimed at accelerating technological transformation, promoting sustainable manufacturing and enhancing the country’s global competitiveness.
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The agreement was signed at the Gulshan Club in Dhaka by Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu, President of BGMEA, and Showkat Aziz Russell, President of BTMA, in the presence of senior industry leaders, entrepreneurs and representatives from across the textile and ready-made garment (RMG) value chain.
The partnership marks one of the most significant collaborations between Bangladesh’s two apex trade bodies in recent years. Industry leaders said the initiative goes beyond organizing an international machinery exhibition and represents a long-term commitment to strengthening cooperation between the country’s textile and garment sectors at a time when Bangladesh is preparing for greater global competition and pursuing its ambition of achieving US$100 billion in apparel exports.
Under the agreement, BITMA will be jointly organized every year in Dhaka with the support of an internationally reputed exhibition management company. The exhibition will showcase advanced textile and apparel machinery, artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled manufacturing technologies, automation solutions, sustainable production systems and emerging global fashion innovations. Organizers expect the platform to facilitate technology transfer, attract international investment, strengthen business networking, promote workforce development and foster strategic partnerships between global technology providers and Bangladeshi manufacturers.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mr. Mahmud Hasan Khan Babu, President of BGMEA, said the partnership symbolizes a shared commitment by the country’s textile and garment industries to work together for Bangladesh’s long-term economic growth.
He acknowledged that differences occasionally arise between textile mills and garment manufacturers, particularly over commercial matters such as Proforma Invoices (PIs), but stressed that both industries ultimately pursue the same objective of strengthening Bangladesh’s apparel sector.
To address recurring business disputes, he proposed establishing a joint arbitration mechanism that would help ensure commitments related to Proforma Invoices and Letters of Credit (LCs) are honored by both parties, thereby improving business confidence throughout the supply chain.
Mr. Khan said the newly launched exhibition should not be viewed simply as a venue for purchasing machinery. Instead, he described BITMA as a strategic platform that would deepen collaboration between BGMEA and BTMA, enabling both organizations to work together on issues that affect the country’s industrial development, competitiveness and sustainable economic growth.
He also noted that the two organizations have already collaborated on several policy issues, including advocating for a more investment-friendly Bangladesh National Building Code (BNBC) to facilitate industrial expansion.
Discussing the industry’s long-term vision, Mr. Khan reaffirmed Bangladesh’s ambition to increase apparel exports to US$100 billion, but emphasized that export growth must be accompanied by significantly higher domestic value addition.
He said Bangladesh should aim to generate at least US$20 billion in local value addition instead of relying heavily on imported raw materials, adding that this objective can only be achieved through stronger backward linkage industries, particularly spinning, weaving and textile manufacturing.
Mr. Khan further suggested encouraging international machinery manufacturers to establish local production facilities for textile machinery spare parts in Bangladesh. According to him, domestic manufacturing of spare parts would reduce dependence on imports, lower production costs and improve the competitiveness of local factories.
Addressing the event, Showkat Aziz Russell, President of BTMA, said the association’s well-established textile machinery exhibition, previously known as DTG, will evolve into a larger and more internationally recognized event through its partnership with BGMEA.
Mr. Russell said BTMA has successfully organized the exhibition every two years, making it one of the country’s leading platforms for showcasing advanced textile technologies. By joining hands with BGMEA, he believes the exhibition will gain greater international recognition while delivering broader benefits to Bangladesh’s textile and apparel industry.
He noted that BTMA and BGMEA have maintained close cooperation for nearly a decade with the common objective of strengthening the country’s textile value chain. The joint exhibition, he said, will allow Bangladeshi entrepreneurs to access the latest global manufacturing technologies without traveling overseas.
“In the past, industry professionals had to visit international exhibitions such as ITMA in Italy to witness the latest innovations. Through BITMA, those technologies will now come directly to Bangladesh,” Mr. Russell said.
According to the MoU, a 10-member Joint Organizing Committee will oversee the planning, management and financial transparency of the exhibition. The committee will consist of five representatives each from BGMEA and BTMA, while its chairmanship will rotate annually between the two organizations. BTMA will chair the inaugural edition, with BGMEA serving as co-chair. The agreement also provides for the sharing of net profits on mutually agreed terms.
Speaking at the ceremony, Anwar-ul-Alam Chowdhury Parvez, former President of BGMEA, described the partnership as a historic milestone for Bangladesh’s textile and apparel industry.
Mr. Parvez said the country is entering a crucial phase marked by graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category, evolving global trade policies and increasing competition from emerging manufacturing destinations.
He emphasized that stronger collaboration between BGMEA and BTMA would help formulate unified policy recommendations, reinforce backward linkage industries and improve Bangladesh’s preparedness for post-LDC trade requirements, including compliance with GSP Plus rules of origin.
Former BTMA President Mr. A. Matin Chowdhury, former BTMA Vice President Mr. Abdullah Al Mamun, and Mr. Md. Mijanur Rahman, Vice President of BGMEA, also addressed the event. They expressed confidence that the joint initiative would accelerate technology adoption, strengthen workforce skills, encourage innovation, attract foreign investment and expand international trade partnerships.
Industry leaders believe the launch of BITMA marks a new chapter in collaboration between Bangladesh’s textile and garment sectors. As global competition intensifies and sustainability becomes increasingly important, they said the joint initiative will help modernize manufacturing, strengthen domestic value addition and reinforce Bangladesh’s position as a globally recognized hub for sustainable textile and apparel production.