Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) has formally written to the National Cotton Council of America (NCCA), seeking its support in securing duty-free access to the United States market for ready-made garments (RMG) manufactured using American cotton.

The association has also called for the permanent removal of Bangladesh from the list of countries currently facing an additional 37 per cent duty on exports to the US.

In a letter addressed to NCCA President and Chief Executive Officer Gary Adams, BTMA President Showkat Aziz Russell urged the Council to facilitate negotiations with relevant US government offices and to assist in expanding US cotton exports to Bangladesh.

Highlighting the importance of Bangladesh’s textile sector, Russell said BTMA represents 1,856 member mills engaged in yarn and fabric production, dyeing, printing and finishing, with total investments in the sector reaching $23 billion.

‘On behalf of Bangladesh’s textile and apparel industry, we extend our sincere appreciation for the strong and enduring partnership we share with the US market. In 2024, US cotton accounted for approximately $270 million, representing around 12 per cent of our total cotton imports,’ he said.

BTMA president emphasised the potential for this figure to increase significantly, possibly by four to five times in the coming years.

The BTMA letter welcomed the US administration’s recent decision, announced on April 9, to temporarily suspend the 37 per cent duty for 90 days for Bangladesh and 75 other countries.

During this period, a reciprocal baseline tariff of 10 percent has been introduced, resulting in an effective duty rate of 26 percent on Bangladeshi exports to the US.

Russell described the 90-day suspension as a critical window for advancing strategic discussions and achieving a more permanent solution.

In his letter, Russell proposed that garments manufactured in Bangladesh using US cotton be granted zero-tariff access to the US market.

He also urged the US government to permanently exempt Bangladesh from the additional 37 per cent duty, arguing that such measures would bolster bilateral trade and embed US cotton more deeply into global supply chains through Bangladesh’s expanding RMG industry.

He reiterated BTMA’s commitment to prioritising the use of US cotton in a substantial share of its production, much of which is exported to the US and other international markets.

‘In support of this vision, we have already taken several proactive steps. We are preparing to establish a dedicated central warehouse in Bangladesh exclusively for US cotton with the goal of quadrupling our import volume,’ the letter read.