The Grand Finale of Textile Talent Hunt Season 9, presented by Centro Tex Ltd. and powered by EURODYE CTC, took place on 12 November 2025 at the Dhaka Regency Hotel, marking another milestone in Bangladesh’s journey toward innovation in the textile and apparel sector. Organized by the Textile Today Innovation Hub, the event gathered some of the most promising young innovators, industry leaders, and academics, celebrating creativity, research, and practical solutions that aim to redefine the future of the nation’s most vital industry.
The event was graced by Sk. Bashir Uddin, Honorable Adviser, Ministry of Textiles & Jute, as the Chief Guest. Distinguished guests included Inamul Haq Khan, Senior Vice President of BGMEA; Mohammad Hatem, President of BKMEA; Mohammad Morshed Alam, Vice President of BGBA; Md. Hafizur Rahman, Former Administrator of FBCCI; and Engr. Md. Enayet Hossain, Member Secretary of ITET. The session was chaired by Engr. Ehsanul Karim Kaiser, Convener of ITET and Executive Chairman of Textile Today Innovation Hub, while Prof. Dr. Engr. Ayub Nabi Khan, Acting Vice Chancellor of BUFT, attended as Guest of Honor.
Over the years, Textile Talent Hunt (TTH), one of the flagship programs of Textile Today, has evolved far beyond a traditional competition. It has become a national platform that nurtures young minds, empowering students to become future leaders and innovators in the textile and apparel industry.
In its ninth season, TTH brought together over 2000 participants from universities across Bangladesh, out of which 100 were shortlisted for the national stage and transformed into “Innovation Masterminds” through a series of rigorous training, grooming, and project execution programs.
During the grand finale, the top seven projects were showcased, offering practical and sustainable solutions for the textile manufacturing sector. These included projects on reducing steam consumption in 100% cotton fabric production, re-engineering dyeing processes to save water and chemicals, developing cloud-integrated lean systems for intelligent yarn inventory management, improving right-first-time (RFT) dyeing efficiency, and recycling pre-consumer waste for yarn production.
The winning project, “Reduction of Steam Consumption in 100% Cotton S/J Fabric,” received the first prize of BDT 150,000, while “Cost Reduction in Dyeing 100% Cotton Knitted Fabric” secured the second prize with BDT 100,000, and “Optimizing Water Consumption in 100% Cotton Dyeing” won third place with BDT 75,000.
Among the individual winners, Bayazid Ahammed from BUTEX claimed the prestigious “Champion of the Champions” title, receiving BDT 100,000. Md. Abdul Ohab Shams, also from BUTEX, became the first runner-up, and Md. Imtiase Imam from NITTER was named the second runner-up. The judging panel consisted of Prof. Dr. Engr. Ayub Nabi Khan, Dr. Mohammad Abbas Uddin Shiyak, ASM Hafizur Rahman Nixon, and Md. Matiur Rahman Robin, who assessed the projects for innovation, impact, and scalability.
Textile Talent Hunt Season 9 has not only rewarded outstanding ideas but also invested in building future-ready professionals. The top 100 participants received professional training worth BDT 30 lakh, along with opportunities for scholarships valued at an additional BDT 12 lakh. These Innovation Masterminds were deployed to various textile and apparel factories nationwide, where they worked under expert supervision to tackle real-world challenges.
At the event, Mohammad Hatem, President of BKMEA, emphasized the importance of empowering young talents and supporting sustainable growth amid growing global competition. He noted that programs like TTH play a vital role in shaping the next generation of textile professionals who will contribute meaningfully to the nation’s economy. He also addressed current challenges in the sector, urging for a balanced approach to labor laws and industry policies to ensure long-term stability and competitiveness.
Sk. Bashir Uddin highlighted the government’s continued efforts to strengthen financial transparency and accountability, pointing out the nation’s improving reserves and commitment to sustainable industrial growth. He underscored the need for hands-on technical education and skill-based training, encouraging institutions to integrate more practical modules so that graduates are ready to contribute to the industry from day one.
Prof. Dr. Engr. Ayub Nabi Khan from BUFT expressed concern over the absence of a government-funded research center for the textile industry. He stated that such an institution is crucial to drive innovation and global competitiveness, emphasizing that investment in human capital and knowledge development is the foundation of a sustainable “knowledge economy.”
The Grand Finale also featured a vibrant Poster Exhibition where the top 12 projects were displayed, with “Cost Reduction in Dyeing 100% Cotton Knitted Fabric” winning the best poster award along with a cash prize of BDT 20,000.
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Additionally, a thought-provoking panel discussion titled “Winning the Challenges with Innovation Competitiveness” brought together leading voices from the industry, including Dr. Md. Hasib Uddin, Chowdhury Mohammed Hanif Shoeb, Engr. Abdus Sobhan CIP, and Saiful Islam Khan.
The discussion, moderated by Dr. Mohammad Hasan, focused on how innovation, collaboration, and technology-driven strategies can help overcome current challenges in the textile and apparel sector.
The event was supported by a range of sponsors and partners, including Centro Tex Ltd. as the Title Sponsor, EURODYE CTC as the Powered by Sponsor, and platinum sponsorship from Dysin Group and CHT.
Additional partners such as Apna Organics Pvt. Ltd., Sameet Dye Chem, Denim Solution, COATS, Transfar Chemical, SGS Limited, giz, and TexMeta played key roles in making the initiative successful.
Prominent textile factories including Essential Clothing Ltd., Aukotex Group, Salma Group, and Armada Spinning Mills Ltd. opened their doors to support these young innovators.
As the first-ever talent-making competition for undergraduate students in textile, garments, and fashion disciplines, Textile Talent Hunt continues to transform the educational landscape of the Bangladesh textile industry.
Through research-based learning, mentorship, and industry collaboration, it aims to build a generation of professionals equipped with the knowledge, creativity, and leadership required to drive the nation’s textile and apparel sector toward a smarter, more sustainable future.
With the remarkable success of Textile Talent Hunt Season 9, Bangladesh once again proves its commitment to innovation, sustainability, and excellence in the global textile arena. The initiative stands as a shining example of how academia and industry collaboration can inspire real change, nurture young minds, and pave the way for the next era of textile transformation.
