BTMA temporarily backtracks from mill closure move

The Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) has temporarily suspended its programme of keeping mills closed from February 1, as the government has assured the association of resolving the problems of the spinning sector through stakeholder consultations.

Earlier, at a press conference on January 22, the leaders of the BTMA, a platform of the country’s primary textile sector, announced that millers would keep their spinning units shut from February 1 if their demands were not met within the stipulated time.

The millers demanded that the government implement the commerce ministry’s proposal to withdraw the duty‑free import facility of 10 to 30 count yarn, as cheap Indian yarn has been affecting the $25 billion invested domestic primary textile sector.

However, the National Board of Revenue (NBR) has yet to implement the commerce ministry’s proposal, although BTMA leaders have repeatedly urged the government to withdraw the bond facility for yarn imports from India.

A high‑level consultative meeting was held on January 27, 2026, at the commerce ministry with Commerce Adviser Sk. Bashir Uddin in the chair, to review the challenges faced by the readymade garment and textile sectors, with particular emphasis on the spinning industry, according to a statement from the BTMA.

The commerce adviser acknowledged the validity of the concerns raised by industry stakeholders and underscored the strategic importance of the spinning sector in Bangladesh’s export competitiveness and industrial value chain.

He reaffirmed a strong commitment to resolving the issues through lawful, equitable, and time‑bound policy measures in line with existing fiscal and regulatory frameworks.

The meeting was attended by senior government officials, including the NBR chairman, commerce secretary, representatives of the Bangladesh Trade and Tariff Commission, and the finance division.

Leaders from the BTMA, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association, and Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association were also present.

The commerce adviser said an inter‑ministerial coordination meeting involving all relevant stakeholders will be held on February 3 this year at the finance division to resolve the current crisis in Bangladesh’s spinning sector through appropriate and timely policy regulation.