Bangladesh’s spinning mills warn they are close to collapse, threatening jobs, exports, and the country’s industrial backbone.
Bangladesh’s textile supply chain is flashing red. At a meeting in Gulshan on November 18th, leaders of three major trade bodies warned that the spinning industry — the foundation of the country’s garment exports — is at risk of sudden failure without immediate government intervention.
The heads of BGMEA, BTMA and BKMEA said spinning mills face acute financial pressure, eroding competitiveness and shrinking policy support. They cautioned that a collapse would disrupt upstream production, jeopardise millions of jobs and force exporters to rely heavily on imported yarn, weakening Bangladesh’s position in global apparel markets.
Industry representatives argued that while India continues to strengthen its domestic textile base through incentives, Bangladesh has reduced support for local producers. They called for targeted relief to stabilise mills and safeguard the sector’s supply-chain resilience.
The leaders also criticised the Bangladesh Labour (Amendment) Ordinance, 2025, claiming key provisions deviate from the Tripartite Consultative Council’s agreed recommendations. Mohammad Hatem of BKMEA called it “a blueprint for the destruction of the industry”, warning it could raise compliance burdens at a moment of extreme vulnerability.
The industry now awaits swift policy correction. Without coordinated action — including revisiting labour reforms, restoring incentives and reducing cost pressures — Bangladesh risks undermining its largest export engine. The government must decide whether to shore up the spinning sector or accept deeper dependence on imported inputs and a diminished competitive edge in global apparel trade.
