Taking garment industry to next level

Bangladesh has rightly earned its status as one of the world's leading ready-made garment (RMG) producers, the backbone of our economy. However, relying solely on plain apparel in an evolving global supply chain and increasingly competitive market is a strategy with a clear expiration date. The future success of our RMG sector depends on a deliberate and rapid shift towards high-tech, value-added clothing.
The "technical apparel" segment spans smart clothing with embedded electronics, high-performance sportswear, medical scrubs, protective industrial attire, and garments with moisture-wicking or temperature-regulating fabrics. This high-margin, technology-driven segment offers a pathway out of the middle-income trap, generating more sophisticated and better-paying jobs for millions of workers.
Achieving this transformation demands urgent, collective investment, starting with skill development. Producing a simple cotton shirt versus a fire-resistant uniform or medical compression garment requires vastly different skills, from CAD design and advanced weaving to quality control of specialised materials. Government, industry bodies and educational institutions must collaborate to establish world-class training in technical textiles and advanced manufacturing.
Infrastructure and sustainability gaps must also be addressed. Technical apparel production often involves advanced chemical treatments and synthetic fibres, requiring efficient effluent treatment, renewable power, and stringent environmental standards. Ensuring worker safety and rights is equally critical to maintain global trust in Bangladesh's high-value apparel.
Bangladesh stands at a crossroads. By embracing technology and innovation, the nation can transform its garment industry into a hub of high-value, sustainable, and technologically advanced production-moving from a factory of quantity to a global centre of textile innovation.

Md. Muntasir Bin Abdullah
muntasirabdullah596@gmail.com