Dhaka, Aug. 8 -- Bangladesh, the world's second-largest exporter of ready-made garments, depends heavily on imported cotton. With domestic production covering only a small fraction of its needs, the apparel sector relies almost entirely on foreign cotton, driving up costs and threatening global competitiveness.
Between 2020 and 2024, Bangladesh imported around 39.61 million bales of cotton from 36 countries, spending a staggering $20.29 billion, according to Bangladesh Agricultural Economics (BAE) analysis based on National Board of Revenue data. While yearly import volumes and costs have fluctuated, the overall trend points to increasing reliance on international cotton markets.
The country's 1,849 spinning mills are central to the garme...