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Speakers at a discussion on Tuesday underscored the need for greater coordination and collaboration among ministries, the National Board of Revenue (NBR), business associations, and global brands to enhance data sharing and support the development of a digital ecosystem for the apparel sector.
They made the remarks at a session titled “Unlocking Transparency: How Open Data Is Transforming Fashion Supply Chain Tradability”, held on the second day of the Global Sourcing Expo 2025 at the Bangladesh–China Friendship Exhibition Centre in Purbachal.
Kazy Mohammad Iqbal Hossain, Climate Actions Lead–Global Supply Chain at Lindex HK Ltd., said a number of new legislations are being introduced in the European Union, and all of them will be mandatory for EU citizens—not for Bangladeshi businesses.
He expressed hope that, considering the impact of these legislative developments across the value chain, global brands would take responsibility for supporting their suppliers in their own interest.
BGMEA Vice-President Bidiya Amrit Khan said many of the new regulations are not directly applicable to Bangladeshi manufacturers.
“All exporters are producing products while maintaining compliance,” she said, adding that audit certificates and audit firms often turn compliance into a business.
She noted that brands do not demand similar audit and compliance requirements from Chinese factories. She also highlighted that the Mapped in Bangladesh initiative can help map factory-level ESG data.
Ms Khan added that Bangladesh could now push for unified audit standards, and the government may play a vital role in engaging brands in this process.
BKMEA Director Engr. Imran Kader Turjo said factory owners are required to submit almost the same data in different formats for around 14 types of certificates.
With the depreciation of the local currency against the US dollar, the cost burden has increased significantly, he added.
Madhubanti Anashua, Advisor at GIZ, said non-compliance with emerging international legislations could lead to the loss of market opportunities, particularly after Bangladesh’s graduation from LDC status.
Addressing the event as the chief guest, Mohammad Hasan Arif, Vice-Chairman and CEO of the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB), said there is no reason to worry about the future of the apparel industry, which has grown through the sustained efforts of local entrepreneurs.
Drawing from his experience as Commercial Counsellor at the Bangladesh mission in Japan, he said consumers are not concerned about traceability; rather, their primary focus remains on product prices.
He called for collective efforts for the betterment of the industry and the country.
The session was moderated by ANM Ata Ullah, Lead for Stakeholder Engagement & Collaboration at Mapped in Bangladesh.
Following the discussion, the EPB and Brac University signed an MoU for collaboration and data sharing.
The Financial Express is the media partner of the expo.