BTMA, CottonConnect Sign Cotton MoU
Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with CottonConnect Ltd to support the development of Bangladesh’s domestic cotton sector and strengthen sustainable cotton sourcing initiatives.
The agreement was signed at the BTMA office in Gulshan, Dhaka, with the meeting led by Showkat Aziz Russell and Alison Ward.
Under the partnership, both organizations will collaborate on promoting domestic cotton cultivation, regenerative farming practices, traceability systems, ESG reporting, capacity building and international cotton supply chain linkages.
Discussions during the meeting also focused on Bangladesh’s target of producing 0.5 million bales of cotton by 2030 and the policy challenges affecting the sector, including the existing 1 per cent tax at source on the supply of domestic cotton to export-oriented industries.
BTMA urged the government to withdraw the tax, stating that the move would encourage local cotton production and increase the use of domestically sourced fibre within the textile industry.
According to the participants, higher domestic cotton production could help Bangladesh reduce import dependence, shorten lead times, conserve foreign exchange and strengthen the confidence of global buyers in the country’s textile and apparel sector.
Senior representatives from both organizations, including BTMA directors and CottonConnect’s Bangladesh and Pakistan leadership team, attended the meeting.
