The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC) Bangladesh recently hosted a roundtable discussion titled “Cotton Ecosystem: Strengthening Bangladesh’s Apparel Value Chain” at a hotel in Dhaka.
Moderated by Md Mahbub ur Rahman, CEO, HSBC Bangladesh, the event brought together representatives from leading cotton suppliers and US cooperatives, global apparel buyers, leading apparel & textile manufacturers, senior officials from Bida, logistics partner and trade bodies like BGMEA and BTMA.
Senior representatives from Cotton Council International (CCI) along with six US cotton exporters, Louis Dreyfus Company, Olam Cotton, Cargill Cotton, ECOM USA, Staplcotn, Cotton Growers Cooperative, attended the discussion where the participants discussed on navigating cotton trade dynamics and supply chain resilience.
Wayne Boseman of Cotton Growers Cooperative and Krista Rickman of Cargill Cotton presented on the Global and US cotton landscape and the evolving dynamics of sourcing.
Guest of Honour Mahmud Hasan Khan, president, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) said: “Strengthening our cotton sourcing ecosystem is vital for the continued growth of our apparel industry. BGMEA is working closely with regulators to address the challenges and to leverage opportunities, including optimizing the benefits of the US cotton content provision.”
Krista Rickman, senior director, sustainability and brand engagement at Cargill Cotton, said: “Representing Cotton USA at the roundtable hosted by HSBC Bangladesh on cotton ecosystem, I am encouraged by engagement from mills, garment manufacturers, financial institutions, and government leaders. Our exchange 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, HSBC Bangladesh, remarked: “The very heart of Bangladesh’s $40 billionn apparel industry is the global commodity: cotton. As global trade dynamics shift, partnership and coordination across the value chain have never been more important.”
Md Ashfaqur Rahman, head of global apparel supply chain, corporate and institutional banking, HSBC Bangladesh spoke: “Apparel is an important segment for HSBC, and with presence in over 50 markets, the bank is in a unique position to connect cotton suppliers, apparel & textile manufacturers and global apparel buyers. HSBC has dedicated textiles and garments team in Bangladesh and sector experts in key export destination markets to support this industry.”
Bangladesh is the largest cotton importer in the world and the volume is expected to increase further in line with apparel export growth. On the backdrop of current trade landscape, discussions took place among global and local stakeholders to build stronger linkages and collaborative frameworks to ensure traceability, flexibility, and sustainability in raw material sourcing.
