The Bangladesh Garment Accessories and Packaging Manufacturers and Exporters Association on Sunday urged the government to prioritise the accessories and packaging industries alongside the garment sector to tackle challenges anticipated after Bangladesh’s LDC graduation in 2026.

BGAPMEA president Md Shahriar said that the post-graduation challenges facing the country’s readymade garment (RMG) industry would not yield the desired results unless they also address potential barriers within the garment accessories and packaging sectors.

Bangladeshi-made RMG products are poised to lose their current duty-free market access to major destinations, including the European Union and other markets, following the country’s graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status, scheduled for November 2026.

‘A number of studies on the possible challenges to the country’s garment exports and their solutions have been conducted by both public and private sectors,’ said Shahriar.

He explained that a strategy focused solely on the garment sector would not bring the desired success in addressing the possible challenges.

He added that the impact of post-graduation on the garment accessories and packaging sectors, and the necessary measures to address this, should be devised now through consultation with relevant stakeholders.

‘Otherwise, the measures taken for the garment industry will fail to bring the desired outcomes,’ Shahriar said.

The BGAPMEA president was speaking at a press conference held at a city hotel on Sunday, during which he announced two concurrent trade shows—Garment Technology Tradeshow in Bangladesh 2025 (GTB 25) and the International Garment Accessories and Packaging Expo 2025 (GAPEXPO 2025).

The four-day-long trade shows, focusing on garment machinery and allied products, will begin on 8 January at the International Convention City Bashundhara (ICCB) in the city, showcasing the apparel industry’s technology and garment accessories and packaging goods.

ASK Trade and Exhibition Pvt Limited, in collaboration with BGAPMEA, will jointly organise the trade shows.

Approximately 500 exhibitors from 25 countries, including India, Bangladesh, China, Japan, South Korea, and Germany, will present their latest technologies and innovations used throughout the production process.

Shahriar said that the garment accessories and packaging industry serves as a backward linkage for the country’s RMG sector, helping reduce import dependency for such goods.

Some 2,100 BGAPMEA members produce over 60 items locally for the export-oriented apparel industry, generating a deemed export worth of US$ 6.87 billion in the last fiscal year. Additionally, they also made direct exports worth US$ 1.0 million.

He mentioned that GAPEXPO plays a crucial role in introducing the sector and finding buyers.

Shahriar also mentioned that, in the current context, around 15 to 20 per cent of orders have shifted to competitive countries, mainly due to the law and order situation.

However, he expressed confidence that buyers would return once the situation improves, as they continue to trust Bangladesh.

He further shared that one of his buyers, Target Australia, had shifted some orders to India.

Also present at the conference were ASK Trade and Exhibitions Ltd Director Nanda Gopal and Managing Director Tipu Sultan Bhuiyan, among others.

The expo will feature two seminars on its second day and will conclude on 11 January.