The CEO of HSBC Bangladesh, Md Mahbub ur Rahman, moderated a discussion titled 'Cotton Ecosystem: Strengthening Bangladesh's Apparel Value Chain,' according to local news publication the Dhaka Tribune.

It reports the session was attended by representatives from the Cotton Council International, six US cotton exporters as well as BGMEA president Mahmud Hasan Khan and also examined the global and US cotton landscape.

It featured a discussion on how to navigate cotton trade dynamics and supply chain resilience with Hasan Khan quoted as saying: “Strengthening our cotton sourcing ecosystem is vital for the continued growth of our apparel industry. BGMEA is working closely with regulators to address the challenges and to leverage opportunities, including optimising the benefits of the US cotton content provision.”

While Rahman pointed out the heart of Bangladesh’s $40bn fashion industry is cotton, which is a global commodity: "As global trade dynamics shift, partnership and coordination across the value chain have never been more important.”

Cargill Cotton's senior director, sustainability and brand engagement Krista Rickman is said to have added: “Representing Cotton USA at the roundtable hosted by HSBC Bangladesh on cotton ecosystem, I am encouraged by engagement from mills, garment manufacturers, financial institutions, and government leaders.”

The Dhaka Tribune suggests the discussion aimed to build stronger linkages and collaborative frameworks to ensure traceability, flexibility and sustainability in cotton sourcing, which is important given that Bangladesh is the largest cotton importer in the world.