Leaders of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) said that the country’s garment and textile industry cannot achieve its renewable‑energy transition through individual factory initiatives alone and requires coordinated action to overcome the energy crisis and safeguard long‑term competitiveness.
The call was placed during the third edition of the “Rapid Energy Transition Conference: Powering Security, Sustainability & Growth in Bangladesh RMG,” organized by Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) Bangladesh at the Hotel Agrabad in Chittagong on Monday.
Building on earlier conferences in Dhaka and Narayanganj, the event concentrated on the challenges and potential solutions for accelerating the energy transition in Chittagong.
The conference brought together 85 participants, including 70 factory representatives, eight leaders from the BGMEA and BKMEA based in Chittagong, a worker representative, industry experts, banks, and renewable energy service providers.
Industry representatives warned that factories are under increasing pressure to cut carbon emissions and comply with sustainability requirements set by international buyers, but the transition remains hampered by limited renewable‑energy supply, infrastructure constraints and financing challenges.
Enamul Aziz Chowdhury, director and acting vice‑president of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and managing director of HK TG Garments Ltd, said the ongoing energy crisis has revealed Bangladesh’s reliance on imported fossil fuels and underscored the need for a more sustainable energy system.
He said that renewable energy and carbon reduction are no longer merely environmental agendas or corporate‑social‑responsibility initiatives; they are directly tied to the industry's ability to survive and stay competitive in global markets.
Chowdhury warned that the sector must move beyond short‑term measures to address the energy crisis and ready itself for evolving global trade dynamics, notably Bangladesh’s imminent graduation from least‑developed‑country status and the tightening of environmental and climate‑related standards in export markets.
He said manufacturers cannot make the transition on their own and require government support, accessible green financing, technical assistance and long‑term partnerships with global brands and buyers.
Echoing the concerns, Md Yasin, director of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) and managing director of Sonnet Group of Companies Ltd, said that rising energy insecurity, global economic pressures and shifting international market requirements are increasingly challenging the sustainability of Bangladesh’s ready‑made garment (RMG) industry.
The speaker stressed that the shift to renewable energy is no longer optional but a worldwide imperative essential for the sector’s long‑term viability. “Renewable energy transition is no longer a luxury. It has become a global necessity for the long‑term survival of our industry,” he said.
Yasin called on manufacturers to utilise the preparation period before Least‑Developed Country (LDC) graduation to boost energy efficiency, accelerate the adoption of renewable energy and strengthen compliance with emerging global sustainability standards.
Chittagong's significance as a major industrial and commercial hub made the discussion especially pertinent. The area hosts a sizable garment, textile and export‑oriented manufacturing sector, with factories both within and outside export processing zones.
Speakers said that energy challenges in the region directly affect production continuity, operating costs and export competitiveness, and emphasized that the transition must extend beyond Dhaka to address the infrastructure, investment and operational needs of other industrial centres.
Discussions indicated that relying solely on rooftop solar may be insufficient for factories to meet the growing renewable‑energy requirements of international buyers.
The participants urged broader measures, including off‑site renewable‑energy generation, mechanisms to purchase electricity from external renewable producers, decarbonisation of the national grid and stronger incentives for factories that supply surplus solar power.
During the closing session, Lt. Comd. Md. Kutubuddin (retd), serving as additional secretary of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), highlighted that available land in Chattogram—especially potentially idle spaces within export processing zones—could be utilized for renewable‑energy generation and supplied to the national grid.
Md Althaf Uddin, senior joint secretary (administration) of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) and a member of the Labour Court in Chattogram, urged the sector to adopt long‑term planning to secure its sustainability over the next five to ten years.
He noted that, just as the garment industry mobilised after the Rana Plaza disaster to tighten factory compliance, comparable cooperation will be required to ensure energy security in Bangladesh.
He also emphasized the possibility of establishing planned industrial zones with coordinated energy‑supply arrangements, especially for factories located throughout various parts of Chittagong.
Md Hasan Ali, convener of the Worker‑led Climate Action Network (Worker CAN) and president of the youth committee of the Bangladesh National Trade Union Federation (BNTUF), said the transition to renewable energy must safeguard workers’ rights, employment and livelihoods while also preserving production efficiency and business competitiveness.
“This industry belongs to all of us. If factory owners engage workers and trade unions in the transition process, we can play an effective role in making the industry more sustainable,” he said.
Highlighting Worker CAN’s advocacy for responsible purchasing practices and accountability within the energy sector, Hasan Ali stated that workers ought to be acknowledged as active stakeholders in the design and implementation of the industry's green transition.
He welcomed the decision to hold the conference in Chittagong, stating that climate action and renewable energy initiatives must extend across the country's major industrial regions.
Sharing a factory-level perspective, Daulat Hossan, manager of human resources, administration and compliance at LCB International (BD) Ltd, stated that the transition must be realistic, affordable, and aligned with the operational and financial capacities of individual factories.
He called for factory-specific energy roadmaps, stronger management commitment, and greater government support to translate sustainability goals into achievable investments and measurable improvements.
Munir Uddin Shamim, director of programme, evidence and learning at ETI Bangladesh, stated that the industry's transition demanded systemic change rather than isolated factory initiatives.
He highlighted ETI's role in connecting industry stakeholders, including the BGMEA, BKMEA, global brands, and worker representatives, while advocating for policy and systemic changes to accelerate the adoption of renewable energy.
The conference featured two working sessions examining the urgency of the renewable energy transition, alongside available financing and technology options.
Jannatul Ferdaus, a research officer at ETI Bangladesh, outlined the global, national, and sectoral factors that are driving the energy crisis, as well as its effects on factory operations, supply chains, and the livelihoods of workers.
Sadia Rowshon Adhora of the Coastal Livelihood and Environmental Action Network (CLEAN) presented the environmental, social, and economic benefits of solar power.
Tahzibul Hoque, assistant general manager of the engineering department at Pacific Jeans, shared factory-level practices and the company's progress in adopting renewable energy and sustainable production while reducing energy consumption and carbon emissions.
The second session brought together financial institutions and renewable energy service providers to discuss practical investment options.
Saiful A Chowdhury of BRAC Bank PLC and Gultekin Binte Azad of City Bank PLC presented green financing and refinancing opportunities. Nure Alam, chief executive officer of the Greener Garments Initiative (GGI), discussed renewable energy technologies and third-party financing arrangements that could help factories overcome upfront investment barriers.
The discussions identified several priorities, including stronger coordination among the BGMEA, BKMEA, government agencies, and other stakeholders to address policy and implementation barriers. Additional priorities featured shared energy infrastructure and coordinated supply arrangements in Chittagong's industrial zones; renewable energy solutions beyond rooftop solar, such as grid decarbonisation and external electricity procurement; and practical factory-level energy transition roadmaps alongside improved energy efficiency.
Why it matters
Coordinated energy strategies and green financing are essential for Bangladesh's garment industry to maintain export competitiveness and meet international sustainability standards.