BGMEA Highlights Bangladesh-Italy Textile Cooperation at Italian Technology Workshop in Dhaka

A B2B workshop titled "Latest Italian Technology of Spinning, Weaving and Finishing — A Way Forward to Stronger Bangladesh-Italy Business Cooperation" was held on July 7, 2026 in Dhaka, bringing together industry leaders, technology providers, textile millers, and trade agents from both countries.

Bangladesh-Italy Cooperation Highlights

BGMEA Director Shah Rayeed Chowdhury attended the workshop as a distinguished guest and underscored the importance of strengthening Bangladesh-Italy business relations through proactive collaboration. He highlighted the vast potential for Italian investment in Bangladesh's non-cotton textile industry, as well as other emerging sectors including light engineering and high-value garment categories.

Chowdhury emphasized the need to foster stronger business-to-business (B2B) partnerships through trade fairs, exhibitions, and industry engagements — building on the long-standing textile trade relationship between the two countries.

Italian Ambassador's Address

H. E. Antonio Alessandro, Ambassador of Italy to Bangladesh, addressed the participants and reaffirmed the growing partnership between the two countries. Italy has historically been one of Bangladesh's important European trading partners for textile and leather products, and the workshop was designed to deepen this cooperation through technology transfer and joint manufacturing initiatives.

Industry Leadership Speakers

The workshop featured addresses by:

• Mohammad Hatem, President of BKMEA (Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association)
• Mohammed Hanif Shoeb, Director of BTMA (Bangladesh Textile Mills Association)
• BGMEA Directors Ms. Sumaiya Islam and Ms. Rumana Rashid

Organizers and Promotion

The workshop was promoted by the Italian Trade Agency (ICE) and ACIMIT (Association of Italian Textile Machinery Producers), and was organized with the support of the Embassy of Italy in Dhaka. The event brought together textile machinery manufacturers from Italy with their counterparts in Bangladesh to explore technology adoption, joint ventures, and supply-chain integration opportunities.

Strategic Context

Italy is a global leader in textile machinery manufacturing, particularly in spinning, weaving, and finishing equipment. For Bangladesh — which is actively working to strengthen its backward linkage industries and reduce dependence on imported fabric — Italian technology represents a strategic pathway to higher value addition in the apparel supply chain. The workshop is the latest in a series of bilateral initiatives aimed at deepening trade and investment ties between the two countries.