Bangladesh is taking bold steps toward establishing itself as a leader in circularity within the global apparel industry. In a significant move, the ‘SWITCH to Upstream Circularity Roundtable: Path Towards Circularity in Bangladesh’s RMG Industry’ was recently held in Dhaka on Tuesday (12 November, 2024), bringing together policymakers, industry experts, and sustainability advocates. The event, organized to evaluate the progress of the BESTSELLER Switch to Upstream Circularity Pilot and lay out future initiatives, marked a milestone in the nation’s circular textile efforts.
The distinguished event saw the presence of Chief Guest Md. Abdur Rahim Khan, Additional Secretary and Head of the Export Wing at the Ministry of Commerce. Special guest Dr. Bernd Spanier, Deputy Head of the EU Delegation to Bangladesh, shared insights on EU-Bangladesh collaborations, while Mark Draeck, Chief Technical Advisor on Circular Economy in Global Value Chains from UNIDO, emphasized the importance of circularity on a global scale. Md. Rezwan Selim, Member of the Support Committee at BGMEA, represented industry voices, while Barrister Vidiya Amrit Khan, Deputy Managing Director of Desh Garments Limited, skillfully moderated the discussions.
Central to the roundtable were discussions on the transition from informal to formal recycling models, practical assessments of circularity in Bangladesh, and exploring collaborative strategies to make the RMG sector more sustainable. This event underscores Bangladesh’s commitment to developing a circular textile ecosystem, strengthening its position as a global leader in sustainable fashion and green industry practices.
