A high-level meeting was held between the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change to ensure sustainable development and uninterrupted industrial growth of the ready-made garment sector. On June 24, 2026, a delegation led by BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan met with the Honorable Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Abdul Awal Mintoo, at the Bangladesh Secretariat. The meeting discussed in detail the issue of harmonizing environmental compliance with the realities of the ready-made garment and sustainable textile sector.

In addition to President Mahmud Hasan Khan, the BGMEA delegation was also attended by former BTMEA President A Matin Chowdhury, BGMEA Director Nafis-ud-Daulah and Kingsley CEO Md. Ashiqur Rahman.

In the meeting, the garment industry leaders reiterated their commitment to ensuring a sustainable environment and highlighted several regulatory complexities and obstacles. The main focus of the discussion was on the technical challenges of the ‘Environmental Protection Rules, 2023’. The delegation noted that the current ETP color parameters are technically very difficult to achieve with the existing infrastructure. Therefore, they requested for setting a realistic and science-based benchmark.

On the implementation of Zero Liquid Discharge (ZID), the BGMEA delegation proposed a phased and performance-based roadmap instead of the current mandatory commitment for renewal of environmental clearances. At the same time, they demanded the development of specific sustainability guidelines for water conservation and recycling, financial incentives such as VAT/duty exemption on ZLD equipment and the launch of a specialized “ZLD-window” under the Green Transformation Fund of Bangladesh Bank.

In order to enhance administrative transparency, the delegation suggested introducing a mirror testing mechanism for environmental sampling and adopting a risk-based, long-term environmental clearance renewal system for compliant factories on a systematic basis. It also urged for expeditious formulation of rules under the ‘Forest Ordinance (2026)’ to remove the uncertainty created by land use in industrial areas. The meeting also highlighted the need for setting tolerance limits for fluctuations in environmental parameters due to extreme weather conditions and a balanced air quality assessment taking into account external sources of pollution.

Hon’ble Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo acknowledged the important contribution of the readymade garment sector to the national economy and positively accepted the proposals of the BGMEA. He assured that these issues would be addressed through a rational and realistic framework, balancing the business needs of the industry and the objective of environmental conservation.

The meeting concluded with a mutual commitment to create a predictable and supportive regulatory environment for the green transformation of the garment industry and its competitiveness in the global market.