Staff Correspondent

Bangladesh will leverage China’s technological and academic cooperation to transform its textile and jute sectors into technology-driven, high-value, and globally competitive industries, Textiles and Jute Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir said on Monday.

The minister made the remarks while addressing a bilateral symposium titled "Costume, Culture, and Connection: A Bilateral Symposium on Traditional Attire and Cultural Exchange" as the chief guest. The event, organized by China's Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, was held at the Jute Diversification Promotion Centre (JDPC) in Dhaka.

Emphasizing a trilateral framework, Minister Muktadir stated that coordinated efforts combining industry, academia, and the government are essential for advancing the country's core export-earning sectors. Collaborating with international institutions like Zhejiang Sci-Tech University opens vast avenues for upgrading Bangladesh's textile education, research, and technical capabilities.

Highlighting the need to align domestic training with global standards, the minister said that Bangladesh’s textile institutes and vocational education systems must be restructured to meet modern economic demands. To achieve this, the government plans to review existing curricula at Bangladeshi textile institutes and harmonize them with China's advanced textile education systems. Furthermore, training programs led by experienced Chinese educators and experts, alongside dispatching Bangladeshi faculty members to China, will be initiated to accelerate professional skill development

Minister Muktadir pointed out that while Bangladesh's ready-made garment (RMG) sector currently generates export earnings valued at approximately $38 billion to $39 billion, there is substantial untapped potential to maximize foreign exchange returns through value-added production.

The event was attended by Textiles and Jute Ministry Secretary Sharaf Uddin Ahmed Chowdhury, the Director General of the Department of Textiles, representatives from Zhejiang Sci-Tech University and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, the Vice-Chancellor of the BGMEA University of Fashion and Technology, alongside notable academics, researchers, and prominent leaders of the textile and apparel industries.