Bangladesh’s powerful garment industry body on Wednesday launched a scathing attack on the interim government, accusing top officials of “misleading” the public and devaluing the country’s $40-billion export lifeline.
The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) issued a strongly worded statement condemning Faiz Ahmed Tayyab, Special Assistant to Chief Adviser Dr. Muhammad Yunus, and Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad Majumdar, Deputy Press Secretary, for downplaying the association’s repeated pleas for a private meeting with the interim leader.
“The statements are sad and unwelcome,” the BGMEA said. “They indirectly devalue the nation’s main export sector.”
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At the centre of the dispute, BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan revealed during a Tuesday press conference that his organisation has been seeking a formal, one-on-one meeting with Dr. Yunus for four months to address mounting crises in the ready-made garments (RMG) sector.
The request has gone unanswered.
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Khan pointedly contrasted the delay with the government’s swift engagement with SpaceX’s Starlink, which is exploring a $100 million investment in satellite internet.
“When the Vice President of Starlink comes, he is met,” Khan said. “But representatives of a $40-billion export sector are not given time.”
The BGMEA clarified that a recent “review meeting” on Bangladesh’s upcoming LDC graduation in November 2026—attended by Khan—was a general session involving multiple ministries and organizations, not the dedicated policy dialogue the garment industry urgently needs.
The World Bank forecasts 4.0% GDP growth for FY25—down from 6–7% averages—warning that failure to diversify beyond RMG could trigger a debt spiral.
Following Khan’s remarks, Tayyab and Majumdar claimed the BGMEA leader had already met government representatives, implying the complaint was exaggerated.
The BGMEA rejected this as context-free spin, insisting a general LDC briefing is not a substitute for targeted crisis talks.
“Attending a multi-stakeholder meeting and securing a private audience with the Chief Adviser are completely different,” the statement read.
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The association urged both officials to adopt a “more professional and responsible” tone when discussing the country’s largest export engine.
Broader Calls for Action
Industry voices and analysts echoed BGMEA’s alarm:
– Policy Exchange Bangladesh: “81% reliance on one sector is a ticking time bomb.”
– International Chamber of Commerce Bangladesh (ICCB): “Bold reforms or economic decline.”
– ADB Projection: Growth could rebound to 5.1% in FY26—if reforms begin now.
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Experts recommend:
1. Securing GSP+ status with the EU
2. Expanding FTAs with India, Japan
3. Investing in automation and green manufacturing
4. Fixing power and logistics bottlenecks
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A Nation at a Crossroads
As Bangladesh prepares to exit Least Developed Country status, the RMG sector’s fate will define its economic future.
The BGMEA has renewed its call for an immediate formal meeting with Dr. Yunus to craft a survival strategy for the industry—and the millions who depend on it.
“This is not just about garments,” one factory owner told The Daily Star. “It’s about the soul of Bangladesh’s growth story.”
With national elections expected by late 2025, the Yunus administration now faces a critical test: listen to the industry that built modern Bangladesh—or risk its collapse.
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