With more than two decades of hands-on leadership in Bangladesh’s ready-made garment (RMG) ecosystem, Mr Ashiqur Rahman stands out as a pragmatic industry leader who seamlessly blends Japanese precision with local industry realities.
As the Country Director of Brother Bangladesh, a globally renowned Japanese industrial sewing machinery manufacturer, he has played a pivotal role in promoting energy-efficient technology, automation, digitalization, and skill development across the country’s garment sector.
Under his leadership, Brother Bangladesh has evolved from a machinery manufacturer into a long-term technology partner, supporting factories in their journey toward higher productivity, lower carbon footprint, and sustainable growth. In this exclusive interview with The Textile Focus, Ashiqur Rahman shares his insights on the current state of Bangladesh’s RMG sector, the transformation of the sewing machinery market, the role of innovation, and what lies ahead in a shifting global landscape.
Mr Ashiqur Rahman, Country Director of Brother Bangladesh, explains how global trade dynamics and innovation will shape the industry ahead
Textile Focus: How do you see the economic growth of the Bangladesh RMG sector amidst global uncertainty and evolving market expectations?
Ashiqur Rahman: The Bangladesh RMG sector continues to be the backbone of our economy, driving export earnings, employment, and socio-economic upliftment. While the global apparel market has faced persistent headwinds—ranging from demand slowdown in key markets to supply chain uncertainties—Bangladesh’s RMG industry has demonstrated remarkable resilience.
Traditionally, growth in Bangladesh was driven by volume expansion: more orders, more production lines, more capacity. Today, the industry is rapidly transitioning to a value-driven model, where productivity enhancement, compliance strength, and sustainability credentials matter as much as volume.
Global buyers are now making decisions based on multiple dimensions:
- Carbon footprint and energy performance of factories
- Compliance and environmental governance
- Lead-time reliability
- Workplace safety and social responsibility
In this regard, Bangladesh is uniquely positioned. We now house one of the highest concentrations of green garment factories globally, which reflects the industry’s conscious move toward sustainability.
However, newer complexities such as USA tariff challenges, changing global demand patterns, and increased competition from countries like Vietnam and India demand a forward-looking strategic approach. If we combine technology adoption, robust compliance, and continuous upskilling of the workforce, the Bangladesh RMG sector can emerge not only larger but stronger, smarter, and more sustainable in global value chains.
Textile Focus: In 2025, how did the sewing machinery segment perform, particularly amid economic and supply sentiment changes?
Ashiqur Rahman: The year 2025 was a transitionary year for the sewing machinery market, shaped by complex macro and micro factors. High global interest rates, volatility in foreign exchange, and LC processing challenges made many factories cautious toward fresh capex. This was compounded by slower global demand in some key markets, where buyers were also tightening approval cycles for factory investments.
Despite these pressures, what we noticed was not a halt in investment, but a shift in investment rationale. Rather than expansion in capacity, factories shifted focus to replacement and upgrading of existing machines with smarter and more productive solutions.
Factories were no longer asking for more machines; they asked for:
- Better energy performance
- Higher productivity per operator
- Reduced operational waste
- Stronger quality consistency
This shift clearly signals a more mature market: factories are investing not for the sake of volume, but for efficiency and cost optimization. At Brother, we saw this trend very early and tailored our solutions accordingly—helping factories meet both operational and sustainability targets with measurable returns.
Textile Focus: Recent months have seen a decline in capital machinery imports. Can you elaborate on the challenges behind this trend?
Ashiqur Rahman: Indeed, capital machinery imports have experienced a slowdown, and this is reflective of broader economic conditions.
Three core challenges have emerged:
- Financing cost pressures:
Globally, high-interest rate environments make long-term capex decisions harder. In Bangladesh, manufacturers often rely on credit lines to fund machinery imports. As financing costs rise, so does investment hesitation. - LC and foreign currency management:
Complexities in LC issuance timelines and FX management create additional uncertainty. This leads factories to delay decisions until signals are clearer. - Global buyer price pressure:
Large buyers are increasingly emphasizing cost efficiency, forcing factories to deliver more output with fewer inputs. This tight margin environment increases pressure to optimize current assets before investing in new ones.
In this scenario, Brother’s approach is not transactional. We do not position machines as products; we position them as solution investments. We work with factories to quantify return on investment—how much energy savings can be achieved, how maintenance cost declines, and how productivity gains contribute to bottom-line improvement.
When the business benefits are clearly articulated and measured, technology adoption becomes a strategic decision, not an expense.
Textile Focus: As a sewing innovation leader, what are the latest innovations Brother is introducing to the Bangladesh market?
Ashiqur Rahman: Brother’s innovation philosophy is rooted in three pillars: Smart, Efficient, Sustainable.
Over the past year, we have introduced several breakthrough solutions that align precisely with the evolving needs of Bangladesh RMG factories:
1. Next-Gen High-End Single Needle Machine
This is not merely an upgrade—this is a reimagined platform. It delivers:
- Significantly higher productivity
- Superior energy efficiency
- Advanced motion control systems
- Features unmatched by competitors in the current market
We introduced digital feed motion technology in this platform to reduce operator dependency while simultaneously stabilizing quality and increasing output consistency.
2. Automation Sewing Solutions
In today’s environment, automation is no longer optional—it is a necessity. Factors such as manpower shortages, increased labor cost, and tighter lead time expectations mean that manual lines alone cannot meet dynamic industry demands.
Our automation sewing solutions:
- Improve workflow reliability
- Reduce reliance on manual skill alone
- Increase takt time efficiencies
- Enable repeatable quality with minimal variability
3. Digitalization via Upgraded NEXIO IoT
We have significantly enhanced our IoT ecosystem with upgraded NEXIO system capabilities. Factories using NEXIO now gain real-time insights into:
- Machine efficiency and utilization
- Operation status and bottlenecks
- Downtime analysis and performance metrics
This empowers leadership teams to move from intuition to data-driven decision-making—a crucial shift for competitive factories.
Importantly, Brother does not view technology in isolation. Without skilled operators and technicians, even the most advanced machines cannot deliver their full potential. Hence, we are continuously investing in operator and technician skill development programs across the country.
Combined, these innovations represent a comprehensive suite—not just machines, but smart, automated, sustainable production solutions.
Textile Focus: With 2026 on the horizon, how do you see the business prospects for capital machinery?
Ashiqur Rahman: I see 2026 as a year of gradual recovery and strategic revitalization.
The first half may remain cautious as global economic and political uncertainties persist. However, in the second half, we expect to see renewed investment momentum—particularly from factories that are focused on long-term competitiveness.
Future capital machinery investment is no longer just about acquiring machines. It will be defined by:
- Energy efficiency and sustainability
- Automation readiness
- Digital connectivity and data utilization
- Lower carbon footprint solutions
Factories that want to remain competitive with major global buyers will need to adopt modernization more intentionally. And as the competitive landscape evolves, the factories that embrace technology early will have a significant edge.
At Brother, we do not believe in short-term transactions. We believe in long-term partnerships—where our success is tied to the success of our customers.
Textile Focus: Given current geopolitical issues and domestic political context, are there risks or impacts on industry outlook?
Ashiqur Rahman:
Global geopolitics—whether tariff changes in the USA, tightening supply chains, or shifts in trade policies—will continue to influence global demand and sourcing decisions. For example:
- Proposed tariff realignments in the US market could impact order flows in certain product categories
- Supply chain diversification strategies are encouraging buyers to balance sourcing across multiple regions
- Regional trade agreements and preferential access can also shift competitive positioning
Domestically, Bangladesh is navigating a pivotal period with an upcoming election cycle. Political uncertainty can influence macroeconomic confidence, liquidity in the banking system, and investor sentiment.
However, I firmly believe that Bangladesh’s industrial foundation is resilient. The RMG sector has endured past cycles of volatility, emerging stronger each time through better compliance, improved efficiency, and stronger buyer relationships.
The key is consistent policy communication, stable regulatory frameworks, and active public-private collaboration to reinforce the industry’s confidence.
Closing Note
The Bangladesh RMG sector stands at a crossroads—a phase where efficiency, sustainability, technology, and workforce capability together will define global competitiveness.
Under Ashiqur Rahman’s leadership, Brother Bangladesh has emerged not only as a machinery provider but as a strategic enabler—helping factories navigate uncertainties while equipping them with the tools to compete on quality, sustainability, and reliability.
As the industry prepares for the next chapter, the integration of smart technology, digital insights, and value-based strategies will be the fundamentals of growth for Bangladesh’s apparel ecosystem.
