The event, titled “Cotton Ecosystem: Strengthening Bangladesh’s Apparel Value Chain”, took place at a hotel in Dhaka and brought together key stakeholders from the cotton and apparel industries. Senior representatives from Cotton Council International (CCI), along with six major US cotton exporters – Louis Dreyfus Company, Olam Cotton, Cargill Cotton, ECOM USA, Staplcotn, and Cotton Growers Cooperative – participated in the discussion.
The session, moderated by Md Mahbub ur Rahman, CEO of HSBC Bangladesh, also saw the participation of global apparel buyers, leading apparel and textile manufacturers, senior officials from BIDA, logistics partners, and trade bodies like BGMEA and BTMA. The focus of the discussion was on navigating the challenges of cotton trade and enhancing supply chain resilience.
Wayne Boseman from Cotton Growers Cooperative and Krista Rickman from Cargill Cotton shared insights into the global and US cotton landscape, highlighting the evolving dynamics of sourcing and the challenges faced by the industry.
Key Remarks from Industry Leaders
Mahmud Hasan Khan, President of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), emphasised the importance of strengthening Bangladesh’s cotton sourcing ecosystem for the sustained growth of the country’s apparel sector. He said, “BGMEA is working closely with regulators to address the challenges and leverage opportunities, including optimising the benefits of the US cotton content provision.”
Krista Rickman, Senior Director for Sustainability and Brand Engagement at Cargill Cotton, expressed her encouragement with the level of engagement at the roundtable. She noted, “I am encouraged by the collaboration from mills, garment manufacturers, financial institutions, and government leaders. Our discussion on global cotton supply and demand highlighted both the challenges of today’s market and the shared opportunities to advance quality, transparency, and sustainability across the cotton value chain.”
Md Mahbub ur Rahman, CEO of HSBC Bangladesh, pointed out that cotton is at the core of Bangladesh’s $40 billion apparel industry, adding, “As global trade dynamics shift, partnership and coordination across the value chain have never been more important.”
HSBC’s Role in Strengthening the Cotton-Textile Ecosystem
Md Ashfaqur Rahman, Head of Global Apparel Supply Chain, Corporate and Institutional Banking at HSBC Bangladesh, spoke about the bank’s significant role in the apparel sector. He said, “Apparel is an important segment for HSBC, and with a presence in over 50 markets, the bank is in a unique position to connect cotton suppliers, apparel and textile manufacturers, and global apparel buyers. HSBC has a dedicated textiles and garments team in Bangladesh and sector experts in key export destination markets to support this industry.”
Bangladesh’s Position as the Largest Cotton Importer
As the world’s largest cotton importer, Bangladesh is expected to continue growing its cotton imports in line with the expansion of its apparel exports. The roundtable discussions, set against the backdrop of the current global trade landscape, focused on strengthening linkages and fostering collaborative frameworks among global and local stakeholders. The aim is to ensure greater traceability, flexibility, and sustainability in the sourcing of raw materials, which is crucial for the future of the cotton and apparel industries.
This strategic collaboration between HSBC, cotton suppliers, and apparel manufacturers reflects the growing need for synergy across the supply chain to meet the challenges of the evolving global market and enhance Bangladesh’s position in the global apparel value chain.