A Seminar on Cotton Day 2023 Bangladesh held at Aloki Convention Centre at Tejgaon Gulshan Link Road, Dhaka. Mr. Mohammad Ali Khokon President, BTMA, Mr. Faruque Hassan, President, BGMEA, and US Ambassador Mr. Peter Haas was present as Chief guest in the event. Engn. Razeeb Haider & Mr. Azizur R. Chowdhury Director’s BTMA took part in the Panel Discussion on “Cotton Day 2023 Bangladesh”. Mr. Fazlul Hoque & Mr. Saleudh Zaman Khan both Vice Presidents of BTMA, distinguished Members of the Board of Directors BTMA, Stakeholders, personalities and Leaders of the Textile & Clothing were also attained in the said event. On this occasion of Cotton Day 2023 Bangladesh, as the President of BTMA and Head of the Apex body of the Primary Textile Sector (PTS), the President BTMA gives a short brief on this sector. The President BTMA said in his speech that, BTMA represents the Yarn and Fabric Manufacturing and Dyeing-Printing & Finishing mills of the country. The member mills not only provide yarn and fabrics to apparel exporters but also support local manufacturers and weavers in Bangladesh wherein use of US Cotton now a days is very significant. As such the Primary Textile Sector is now considered as Import Substitute Industry which is helping the country to earn and retain foreign exchange and enriching the foreign reserve as well. BTMA Members having an investment around 20 billion USD in this sector.
In financial year 2022-23 the country’s total export earning was 55.55 billion USD of which Textile & Clothing export was 48.08 billion USD that means the contribution of Textile & Clothing was 86.5%. If we consider the total export retention from PTS is around 31.03 billion USD over the years.
We always consider CCI, ACSA, AMCOT and Cotton USA as our partner in progress. Since Bangladesh is not a cotton producing country therefore it imports cotton mainly from USA, CIS, Australia, India, Pakistan, African countries (East & West) and other sources. If we look the use of US Cotton in Bangladesh it is gradually increasing. Possibly currently the share of US Cotton is around 13%.
USA has always maintained its cotton quality resulting no complaints regarding the quality of US Cotton. The President BTMA thanks to Government of Bangladesh and the authority concerned of the US Embassy in Bangladesh in withdrawing the compulsory Fumigation of USA cotton.
Finally The President BTMA feel organizing of the “Cotton Day 2023 Bangladesh” by Cotton USA and Cotton Council International (CCI), USA is a great honor for BTMA and Bangladesh as well. BTMA is very much proud to be a partner of the event. He hope this kind of event will definitely help to enhance bondings between the two organizations and USA in the upcoming days.