Bangladesh news and archive

Bangladesh factory blaze kills at least 16

At least 16 people were killed Tuesday when a fire tore through a chemical and garments factory in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka, officials said. The blaze began in the factory's warehouse before spreading to a nearby multi-storey garments facility, said Tajul Islam Chowdhury, director at the Fire Service Department. All the bodies were recovered...

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Kontoor Brands to close manufacturing operations in Mexico

Wrangler’s parent company Kontoor Brands is reportedly preparing to shutter its manufacturing operations in Coahuila, Mexico. According to local press, the fashion group is in the process of moving its production to Bangladesh. It is believed that four plants located in Torreón, La Rosita, San Pedro and Coyote are to be impacted by the closures,...

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Bangladesh, US negotiate to avert 35 percent tariff on textile exports

Trade negotiations between the US and Bangladesh officially resumed on Tuesday, July 29, in Washington, D.C. These talks are taking place amidst significant protectionist pressure from the Trump administration. The aim is to prevent the imminent implementation of punitive tariffs, which could reach 35 percent, on Bangladeshi exports, primarily...

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Asia holds the thread: Regional textile powers reinvent strategies amid global slowdown

While 2024-2025 financial results show a slowdown in consumption in several Asian countries – particularly for luxury groups like LVMH – the global textile sector continues to rely on the region. Several indicators from the first half of 2025 confirm Asia’s central role in global value chains. Between export growth, structural adjustments,...

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Trade union freedom is still a long way off in fashion: "It's essential that brands sit down with employees"

2023 and 2024 were years of protests for Bangladeshi garment workers. Tens of thousands of workers took to the streets, demanding, among other things, payment arrears and the lack of structural improvements: a living wage, meal allowances, raises for night shifts, and more lenient work duties for pregnant women. These protests were intended to...

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UK government introduces new trade measures for developing countries

The UK government has introduced new measures that intend to simplify imports from developing countries. The changes come under the Developing Countries Trading Scheme and, according to a press release, aim to “lower prices on everyday goods while supporting growth in some of the world’s poorest nations”. The measures particularly address...

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Bangladesh hopes for trade agreement with US

Dhaka, July 8, 2025 – Bangladesh, the world's second-largest textile manufacturer, still hopes to reach an agreement with the US to avoid the sharp rise in customs duties threatened by Donald Trump. A senior official told AFP on Tuesday. The textile industry contributes 80 percent of the South Asian country's total exports. One-fifth of its...

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From volume to value: Bangladesh's garment strategy amid trade turmoil

Bangladesh’s garment industry seeks to shed its low-cost, large quantity image as it aims to capture higher-value business. At Best of Bangladesh, a fair and conference in the heart of Amsterdam, manufacturers and government officials advertised the world’s second largest garment producer’s transition, hoping to gain more business amid global...

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Textile crisis between India and Bangladesh: Inside a logistical lockdown

By blocking imports of Bangladeshi garments via land, India is indirectly closing off its neighbour’s access to its ports and airports, which are essential for its global exports. The decision appears to be a form of diplomatic retaliation. On May 17, 2025, India announced the suspension of several Bangladeshi imports via its land border posts,...

Fashion

Strauss develops degree Course for sustainability and innovation in Bangladesh

German workwear specialist Strauss has created a new educational course for sustainability and textile innovation in Bangladesh. Strauss announced on Thursday that, from June, 60 students a year will be able to study for a bachelor’s degree in ‘Textile Engineering – Sustainability and Textile Innovation’ at the Ahsanullah University of Science...

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Bangladesh restricts yarn imports from India: concerns among clothing exporters

The Bangladeshi tax authority, the National Board of Revenue (NBR), has decided that yarn from India can no longer enter the country via five key land ports. These include the border crossings at Benapole, Bhomra, Sonamasjid, Banglabandha and Burimari, according to The Times of India. According to the Bangladeshi ministry, the decision was taken...

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Tariffs: US textile buyers in Bangladesh have suspended orders, according to manufacturers

American buyers have begun suspending orders from Bangladesh, the world's second-largest garment manufacturer, following the increase in US tariffs, leading the interim Bangladeshi government to call on Monday for a three-month suspension of these taxes. Textile and garment production accounts for approximately 80 percent of the exports of this...