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Tuesday | September 22, 2026 | Dhaka

President vows support to revive textile industry

President says coordinated policy support, stronger energy security are essential to address challenges facing Bangladesh's textile industry
 Staff Reporter
 Published: 12:01 AM, 22 September 2026

President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Monday assured the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) of necessary government support to address problems facing the country’s textile sector.

He made the assurance during a meeting with a 22-member BTMA delegation led by its President Shawkat Aziz Russell at Bangabhaban.

The president stressed the textile sector’s contribution to economic development, employment generation and foreign exchange earnings, saying Bangladesh needed practical and coordinated policy support for its industries.

President’s Press Secretary Md Sarwar Alam briefed reporters after the meeting.

Fakhrul said Bangladesh needed policy support similar to that provided by competing countries to help its textile sector move forward.

“Even after 55 years of independence, we have not been able to take our economy to the desired level due to various reasons including political instability,” he said.

He said the assumption of office by a democratic government had created a new opportunity to rebuild different sectors of the economy and urged business leaders to play an effective role in utilising the opportunity.

The president identified the energy crisis as the biggest challenge facing the country at present.
He said no significant initiative had been taken in the past to explore and extract the country’s own gas and energy resources or to ensure long-term energy security.

Referring to the ongoing war in the Middle East, Fakhrul said developing economies such as Bangladesh were being affected more severely.

He said the government’s sincere efforts to address the energy crisis were continuing.
During the meeting, BTMA President Shawkat Aziz Russell highlighted the textile industry’s contribution to the national economy.

He also outlined initiatives taken to develop and expand the textile sector during the tenures of late President Ziaur Rahman and former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.

Russell briefed the president on the sector’s current problems and challenges.

BTMA leaders stressed the importance of maintaining the National Board of Revenue’s decision to withdraw bond facilities for imports of 10-30 count cotton yarn and to allow such imports against bank guarantees to protect local textile mills.

The president’s secretaries and senior officials concerned were present at the meeting.