Bangladesh’s apparel industry is set to revive its flagship Bangladesh Apparel and Textile Exhibition (BATEXPO) after more than a decade, with the BGMEA planning a major international showcase of the sector’s transformation, innovation, sustainability and growing technological capabilities in November this year.
BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan announced the programme at a press conference today, saying the 25th edition of BATEXPO will take place on November 18 and 19, 2026 at the Bangladesh-China Friendship Conference Centre in Dhaka. “After more than a decade, our largest and traditional flagship exhibition is returning to the domestic and international arena,” he said while addressing the press conference at the BGMEA Complex. BGMEA Vice President (Finance) Mijanur Rahman and Director Shah Rayeed Chowdhury were present among others.
He said BATEXPO 2026 will serve as one of the BGMEA board’s major initiatives for country branding and will showcase the transformation of Bangladesh’s apparel industry before the global community. “BATEXPO is one of our board’s major initiatives for country branding on the global stage,” Mahmud Hasan Khan said.
The event will highlight improvements in workplace safety and environment-friendly production alongside Bangladesh’s growing capacity to manufacture value-added and technology-driven apparel products. The exhibition will feature a Global Apparel Expo, Global Apparel Summit, AI and Innovation Hub and Sustainability and Circularity Exhibition.
The programme will also cover sustainability, fashion, innovation and emerging trends in the global apparel industry. The BGMEA president said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has agreed to inaugurate the event, while the organisers expect the President to attend its closing ceremony. He said the BGMEA will use BATEXPO to project Bangladesh not simply as a low-cost apparel manufacturing destination but as a modern, innovation-oriented and technology-driven sourcing hub.
Alongside BATEXPO, the BGMEA has undertaken a series of initiatives to diversify Bangladesh’s export destinations and customer base. Mahmud Hasan Khan said Bangladesh currently earns around $40 billion from apparel exports, with roughly $8 billion coming from non-traditional markets, excluding the United States, European Union and Canada. He said the BGMEA will organise the “Bangladesh Apparel Roadshow Hong Kong 2026” on October 28-29 in collaboration with HSBC Bangladesh.
The roadshow will invite international brands that either do not source apparel from Bangladesh or purchase only limited quantities from the country. “Our objective is to invite those global brands to the roadshow so that they consider Bangladesh as a new sourcing destination,” he said. He said Bangladesh needs to reduce the concentration of apparel exports among a limited number of major brands and attract a wider range of global buyers.
The BGMEA president said the organisation signed a memorandum of understanding with HSBC because the bank has operated in Bangladesh for more than three decades and has accumulated substantial experience in the country’s business environment. “HSBC has been doing business in Bangladesh for more than 30 years and has grown here. It will share its positive experience with brands that are not currently doing business in Bangladesh,” he said.
He said the roadshow will therefore demonstrate to potential buyers that Bangladesh offers opportunities for international brands to establish and expand their sourcing operations. The BGMEA is also targeting Japan as a major destination for apparel export expansion.
Mahmud Hasan Khan said Bangladesh currently exports around $500 million to $600 million worth of apparel to Japan, although Japan imports more than $12 billion worth of apparel annually. To expand the market, the BGMEA will launch a dedicated Japan Desk on September 23, with the Japanese ambassador expected to inaugurate it.
He said the desk will address language and communication barriers between Bangladeshi manufacturers and Japanese buyers by deploying officials who can communicate in Japanese. “We hope to take the current $500 million export to at least $2 billion or $2.5 billion, and we are working towards that goal,” he said. He said major Japanese companies, including Marubeni, Uniqlo, GU, Muji and Dentsu, have already visited Bangladesh during preparations for the initiative and welcomed the move.
The BGMEA president said Bangladesh has also secured preferential trade arrangements with Japan and an economic partnership agreement with South Korea, which could support export expansion in those markets. He identified long shipping lead times as a major challenge for exports to Japan and South Korea and said the industry is working to reduce logistics-related delays.
The BGMEA has also signed a strategic agreement with Bangladesh Brand Forum to strengthen Bangladesh’s apparel branding and promote the country as an innovation-driven manufacturing destination. Mahmud Hasan Khan said the industryy has started work on innovative designs and future trends through its Centre of Excellence, with an emphasis on shifting from cotton-based products towards man-made fibre products such as polyester, nylon and filament yarn.
He said the BGMEA has also signed an agreement with Open Supply Hub and GIG to help the industry address stringent European Union requirements, including the Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive. On artificial intelligence, he said the industry wants to adopt AI while ensuring that technological advancement does not abruptly reduce employment.
“We want to use AI, but at the same time we want to ensure that employment does not suddenly decline,” he said. He said the industry has already started using AI-based technology in preparing commercial and shipping documents. Mahmud Hasan Khan said BATEXPO, the Hong Kong roadshow and the Japan Desk represent part of the BGMEA’s broader strategy to expand Bangladesh’s apparel market and strengthen the country’s position in global sourcing.
He urged the media to give extensive coverage to BATEXPO 2026 and the industry’s market-diversification initiatives to present Bangladesh’s apparel sector and its transformation to international audiences.
BGMEA Vice president (Finance) Mijanur Rahman , Director Nafis Ud Doula ,Batexpo Chief Co-ordinator Shah Rayeed Chowdhury and Directors were present.
