The Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) has extended its heartfelt appreciation to the government’s trade delegation, led by Commerce Adviser SK Bashir Uddin, following a successful mission to Washington DC that resulted in significant progress toward reducing tariffs on Bangladeshi exports to the United States.
On Saturday in an official statement, BTMA described the development as a “milestone” for Bangladesh’s textile and apparel industry, noting that it would enhance the country’s export competitiveness and strengthen bilateral trade relations with the U.S.
A delegation led by BTMA President Showkat Aziz Russell joined the official visit to Washington DC with the government’s trade delegations, where the team participated in high-level discussions aimed at securing a more favorable tariff regime for Bangladeshi products in the US market.
During the mission, several BTMA member mills reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening trade partnerships by pledging increased imports of US cotton—underscoring Bangladesh’s intention to build a sustainable and mutually beneficial supply chain.
The participating mill representatives included- Mohammad Mosharaf Hossain, Managing Director, Mosharaf Composite Textile Mills Ltd.; Mohammad Masud Rana, Managing Director, Asia Composite Mills Ltd. And Chowdhury Mohammad Hanif Shoaib, Managing Director, and Salma Chowdhury, Chairperson, Salma Group Ltd.
The delegation was honored at a reception hosted by the Deputy Chief of Mission at the Bangladesh Embassy in Washington DC, DM Salahuddin Mahmud.
As part of the visit, the delegation also held productive meetings with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and leading American business representatives. Notably, the meetings were attended by former US Ambassador to Bangladesh, Peter D. Haas, who now serves as Strategic Adviser at Excelerate Energy, a US-based energy firm.
During the discussions, American stakeholders expressed strong interest in expanding trade and investment ties with Bangladesh. Commerce Adviser SK Bashir Uddin assured them of the Bangladesh government’s full support in fostering a conducive environment for mutual growth and cooperation.
Also present during the visit were National Security Adviser Dr. Khalilur Rahman, Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman, and Additional Secretary (WTO Wing) Dr. Nazneen Kauser Chowdhury, among other senior officials.
In the event BTMA President Showkat Aziz Russell said, “Our entrepreneurs are fully committed to building sustainable trade partnerships and enhancing Bangladesh’s role in the global textile supply chain.”