Bangladesh’s garment industry’s largest and traditional flagship exhibition, BATEXPO 2026, will return after more than a decade, with the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) seeking to showcase the sector’s transformation and expand into new markets.
The silver jubilee edition of BATEXPO will be held on Nov. 18 and 19, 2026, at the Bangabandhu Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Center in Dhaka under the overall direction and supervision of the current BGMEA Board, BGMEA President said at a press conference.
The event is one of the board’s major initiatives to brand Bangladesh globally. The main objective of this year’s BATEXPO is to showcase to the world the transformation of Bangladesh’s apparel sector, maximum workplace safety and environmentally friendly production systems in line with the changing global context.
The event will also seek to promote a modern apparel industry driven by high-value products, technology and artificial intelligence (AI).
The key attractions of the event will include the Global Apparel Expo, Global Apparel Summit, AI and Innovation Hub, Sustainability and Circularity Exhibition, GIZ Presents Sustainability Leadership Award, and Fashion Runway.
BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan chaired the press conference held at the BGMEA conference room. Also present were BGMEA Vice President (Finance) Mizanur Rahman, Director Shah Raeed Chowdhury, Director Nafis-Ud-Doula, Director A.B.M. Shamsuddin, Director Enamul Aziz Chowdhury, and Trade Fair and Events Committee Chairman Sajid Karim.
The Prime Minister will attend the inaugural ceremony of BATEXPO on Nov. 18 as the chief guest, while the BGMEA hopes the President will attend the closing ceremony on Nov. 19.
High-level buyer representatives and fashion influencers from around the world will also participate. The world-renowned apparel sourcing firm PDSL will be the title sponsor of this year’s BATEXPO.
BGMEA said it will provide further details about BATEXPO and invited stakeholders to participate in the event.
Bangladesh Apparel Roadshow in Hong Kong
Alongside the domestic event, BGMEA and HSBC Bangladesh will jointly organize the Bangladesh Apparel Roadshow, Hong Kong 2026 on Oct. 28-29, 2026.
The roadshow, to be held in Hong Kong, Asia’s primary financial hub and a strategic center of the global supply chain, will seek to establish direct communication with brand-retailers, investors and stakeholders.
It will also showcase high-value apparel and advanced technical textiles, expand the export market and present the sector’s new potential.
BGMEA said the board is moving forward with a vision to transform Bangladesh’s garment industry from a traditional manufacturing hub into a hub of innovation, design and modern technology.
The association has introduced a new logo for BATEXPO 2026. The logo unveiling ceremony was held at Pan Pacific Sonargaon in Dhaka through the Honorable Adviser for Commerce, followed by plans for grand logo unveiling ceremonies and press conferences for apparel manufacturers, brand representatives and media personnel in London and New York.
A specialized committee comprising foreign buyers and trade diplomats has also been formed to identify new markets and diversify products. BGMEA said an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) signed with Japan is creating new pathways for preferential trade and commercial expansion.
While exports are growing, the industry is facing immense pressure on profit margins due to rising global inflation and increased production costs, it said. BGMEA said its main challenge is not only maintaining routine operations but also building a sustainable, innovation-driven and modern industry.
The strategic initiatives include:
- New Market Expansion and Value-Added Product Diversification:** Special initiatives are underway to capture non-traditional markets and promote high-value products.
- Technological Advancement and Capacity Building: Initiatives have been taken to adopt advanced technology, AI, automation, digitization, lean manufacturing, the Internet of Things (IoT) and green production systems to reduce lead times and increase efficiency.
- Policy Support and Compliance: BGMEA is working with global buyers, international brands and foreign governments to ensure fair pricing, fair wages, ethical business practices and compliance with international standards, including the EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD). It is also engaging with GIZ and the Open Supply Hub to map factories and enhance transparency.
- Sustainability and Circularity: New action plans have been adopted to promote textile-to-textile recycling and a circular economy while maintaining leadership in green factories.
BGMEA said it believes the combined strategic efforts will play a leading role in establishing Bangladesh’s apparel industry as a transformed, safe, and sustainable global brand.
BGMEA said the industry is also facing practical global and domestic challenges. The global economy is unstable due to ongoing wars in various parts of the world, while uncertainty over international trade shipments and logistics, as well as threats of tariffs from the U.S. administration, are affecting supply chains.
BGMEA said the current tariff situation is relatively relieving. At the same time, high global inflation has significantly eroded purchasing power and demand among ordinary people in major markets.
In the first two months, July-August, of the current fiscal year 2026-27, overall export growth reached 5.12%, BGMEA said. The growth was primarily driven by a 10.14% increase in August, when exports were comparatively lower than in August of the previous year. BGMEA said that compared with the last three years, business has not grown significantly, while production costs have increased heavily.
Alongside global challenges, BGMEA said a major crisis has emerged in Bangladesh’s domestic production system due to a severe energy crisis. Reduced gas pressure has severely disrupted dyeing-washing and back-to-back linkage processes.
However, BGMEA said the business community met with the Prime Minister last Monday, when the Prime Minister announced restoration of gas supply to the industry to its previous level, which has since been implemented.
The association expressed its pleasure and gratitude for what it described as an industry-friendly step by the government.
For long-term energy security, BGMEA put forward several demands:
- Rapid installation of two additional floating storage and regasification units (FSRUs) and construction of a land-based LNG storage terminal.
- Maximum priority in gas connections and rationing for active factories.
- Priority-based gas connections for factories equipped with 100-500 PSI boilers.
- Low-interest “Green Loans” to encourage the use of renewable energy and solar power.
- Rapid acceleration of offshore gas exploration programmes to permanently resolve the gas crisis.
BGMEA thanked the government for issuing a positive letter seeking a three-year postponement of Bangladesh’s graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category, in line with private-sector expectations. The association said it was hopeful the proposal would pass in the General Assembly this month. BGMEA said it believed that through proper implementation of the government’s roadmap, Bangladesh would be able to achieve graduation within the stipulated time.
At the same time, for ease of doing business, the association demanded modernization of company and customs laws, acceleration of Free Trade Agreement (FTA) and Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) negotiations, and continuation of special policy support and tax-customs structures for the apparel sector for at least five more years to address post-LDC challenges.
BGMEA said business costs and lead times have increased abnormally. It said entrepreneurs are facing harassment at every step because the customs bond audit process has not been modernized. The association outlined several urgent policy demands to improve the overall business environment.
It called for the inclusion of professional firms in bond audits, saying red tape, manual methods, errors in CBMS software and unwanted “cutting supervision” by customs officials should be stopped.
Instead, it proposed permanent guidelines for annual bond audits through the country’s top professional audit firms.
BGMEA also called for the rapid construction of a permanent and modern import cargo shed with maximum safety at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to protect imported goods and reduce lead times.
It urged the government to amend and reform the Bangladesh National Building Code (BNCC) in phases, taking into account the country’s economic reality, backward linkage and factory capacity.
BGMEA said it had requested suitable government land in the Gazipur and Ashulia industrial zones for specialized hospitals to provide advanced healthcare for garment workers and had received assurances from the government.
It also said it was working to resume the nearly 100-bed Mirpur Hospital at the beginning of next year.
The association also called for withdrawal of the Advance Income Tax (AIT) applied against cash incentives by 5% to increase apparel exports and help entrepreneurs overcome liquidity crises. If the tax is not withdrawn, BGMEA strongly demanded that it be treated as a final tax.
BGMEA President said Bangladesh’s garment industry had reached its current position by overcoming ups and downs and global recessions. He said the courage of entrepreneurs and the relentless labour of millions of workers were the core strength of the industry.
BGMEA said it had full faith in the leadership and goodwill of the current government and expressed hope that, with proper policy support, BATEXPO 2026 and the Hong Kong Roadshow would help take Bangladesh’s manufactured apparel exports to new and sustainable heights. The association called on print, electronic and online media to provide strong promotion, publicity and overall cooperation to make BATEXPO 2026, scheduled for next November, a success and present the country’s positive image to the world.
The BATEXPO 2026 logo was launched at the conclusion of the press conference.