The Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) has urged the government to immediately withdraw a provision in the new import policy for 2026-29 that prohibits the import of knit fabrics.
In a letter to the commerce minister on September 2, BKMEA President Mohammad Hatem expressed concern over sub-clause 12 of provision 25 of the policy, which states that "knit fabrics shall not be importable."
According to the letter, authorities had acknowledged during previous consultations with industry stakeholders that the restrictive provision was included inadvertently and assured the industry that it would be removed.
However, the restriction remained in the official gazette published by the commerce ministry on August 24, 2026.
The BKMEA chief highlighted that the ongoing gas crisis has severely disrupted domestic textile mills and fabric production.
As such, local manufacturers are unable to meet the volume, specialized technical standards and design variations required by international buyers, making raw materials import unavoidable.
The association also noted that several garment exporters had opened letters of credit for raw knit fabrics before the gazette was published.
Many of those shipments have already arrived at Chittagong Port or are in transit, according to the letter.
BKMEA warned that enforcing the ban would prevent customs clearance, causing shipment delays, financial losses and potential cancellation of export orders.
It urged the government to immediately suspend or repeal the provision to ensure uninterrupted production and fulfillment of buyers' commitments.