Commerce Minister Muktadir Calls for Integrated Efforts to Develop Textile and Jute Sectors

Dhaka, August 17, 2026 — Commerce, Industries, Textiles and Jute Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir yesterday said coordinated efforts by industry, academia, and the government are essential for the development of Bangladesh's textile and jute sectors. The minister made the remarks while addressing a symposium organised by China's Zhejiang Sci-Tech University at the Jute Diversification Promotion Centre (JDPC) in Dhaka as the chief guest.

🌐 China Collaboration: Zhejiang Sci-Tech University

Muktadir highlighted the opportunity for international collaboration in textile education:

• 🇨🇳 Zhejiang Sci-Tech University — Chinese partner for textile education and research
• 🏛️ Jute Diversification Promotion Centre (JDPC) — host venue in Dhaka
• 💼 Symposium format — bringing together academia, industry, and government
• 🧪 Research collaboration — improving textile education and technological capabilities
• 👥 Technology transfer — leveraging Chinese textile manufacturing expertise

“There are opportunities to further improve Bangladesh's textile education, research and technological capabilities through collaboration with international educational institutions such as China's Zhejiang Sci-Tech University,” the minister said.

🧪 Technology-Driven Future: AI and Digital Management

Muktadir said the world economy is rapidly moving towards technology-driven systems, and students, teachers, and industry stakeholders need to be familiar with artificial intelligence, modern technologies, and digital management. Key themes from his address:

• 🤖 Artificial intelligence — students and teachers need AI familiarity
• 💻 Modern technologies — industry stakeholders must adapt
• 📅 Digital management — textile and jute operations need digitisation
• 🏭 Textile institute modernisation — aligned with modern world requirements
• 🎓 Vocational education reform — matching industry needs with curricula

“The government is taking necessary initiatives to help Bangladesh keep pace with global technological changes,” the minister said. He stressed the need to modernise the country's textile institutes and vocational education system in line with the requirements of the modern world.

💰 RMG Export Context: $38-39 Billion

The commerce minister said Bangladesh's readymade garment sector currently earns around $38-39 billion from exports. This figure provides important context for the textile and jute sector development discussion:

• 💰 $38-39 billion RMG exports — backbone of Bangladesh's export economy
• 🧵 Textile sector — supplies fabric and materials to RMG industry
• 🧵 Jute sector — export diversification potential beyond RMG
• 📈 Value chain integration — textile and jute support RMG competitiveness
• 🌐 Technology upgrade needed — to maintain and grow export earnings

🏛️ JDPC: Jute Diversification Promotion Centre

The Jute Diversification Promotion Centre (JDPC) is a government institution dedicated to promoting jute product diversification and commercialisation. The centre's role includes:

• 🧵 Jute product development — new jute-based products for domestic and export markets
• 💼 Industry-academia linking — connecting research with commercial applications
• 🌐 Export market development — promoting jute products internationally
• 📊 Technology adoption — modernising jute processing and manufacturing
• 🤝 International collaboration — partnering with universities like Zhejiang Sci-Tech

🌐 Strategic Context: Textile Education and Export Competitiveness

The symposium reflects a growing recognition that Bangladesh's textile and jute sectors need significant technological and educational upgrading to remain competitive in the post-LDC era. The collaboration with Zhejiang Sci-Tech University — one of China's leading textile research institutions — offers several strategic benefits:

• 🧪 Research partnership — joint research on advanced textile materials
• 🎓 Student exchange — Bangladeshi students studying advanced textile technology in China
• 💼 Faculty development — training Bangladeshi textile educators
• 🏭 Technology transfer — bringing Chinese textile manufacturing innovations to Bangladesh
• 📈 Product development — higher-value textile and jute products for export

For Bangladesh's export economy, the textile sector is the upstream supplier for the $38-39 billion RMG industry — and the jute sector represents a key diversification opportunity. By investing in education, research, and technology through international partnerships, Bangladesh can strengthen both sectors — supporting RMG competitiveness while building new export pillars in technical textiles, jute composites, and sustainable packaging materials that align with global market trends toward circular economy and ESG compliance.

The minister's emphasis on AI and digital management reflects a forward-looking vision for Bangladesh's textile sector. As global apparel brands increasingly use AI for supply chain optimisation, quality control, and demand forecasting, Bangladeshi textile manufacturers will need to adopt similar technologies to remain competitive suppliers. The collaboration with Zhejiang Sci-Tech University — which has extensive experience in textile technology research and development — could provide a critical bridge between Bangladesh's traditional textile manufacturing base and the technology-driven future that the global apparel industry is rapidly embracing.

For the jute sector specifically, the JDPC symposium signals continued government commitment to jute diversification — building on the recent Tk 619 crore investment in three closed jute mills leased to PRAN-RFL and HAMCO groups. The combination of jute mill revival, international university collaboration, and technology adoption could position Bangladesh's jute sector for a meaningful comeback — leveraging the global shift toward sustainable, biodegradable materials to create new export revenue streams that complement rather than compete with the RMG sector.