BTMA and BGMEA Plan Annual BITMA Textile Machinery Exhibition
19 August 2026: The Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) and Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) signed an MoU on August 4, 2026, at Gulshan Club in Dhaka to jointly organise the annual BITMA textile machinery exhibition. The agreement creates a shared industry platform for machinery, automation, artificial intelligence and sustainable manufacturing technology.
BTMA President Shawkat Aziz Russell and BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan signed the agreement for their respective associations. BITMA stands for Bangladesh International Textile and Apparel Machinery Exhibition.
How will the BITMA textile machinery exhibition be managed ?
A 10-member joint organising committee will oversee planning, management, strategic decisions and financial transparency. BTMA and BGMEA will each nominate five members, giving the textile and garment bodies equal representation.
Leadership will rotate annually. BTMA will nominate the chair for the first year, while BGMEA will nominate the co-chair. The arrangement then allows the two associations to alternate control rather than placing the exhibition under one body permanently.
What will BITMA cover ?
According to the joint statement published by BGMEA, the organisers plan to feature automation, AI, textile and apparel machinery, and technology for more sustainable production. An international exhibition organiser will support the event, although the statement does not name that company.
BITMA will take place annually in Dhaka and connect global machinery makers, technology suppliers and investors with Bangladeshi manufacturers. The verified announcements do not yet give a date or venue for the first edition.
Why does the BTMA-BGMEA agreement matter ?
Bangladesh has large but closely linked textile and ready-made garment industries. Joint control gives machinery suppliers and manufacturers one meeting point across both parts of the production chain. The associations say the exhibition should support technology adoption, skills development and higher-value manufacturing. They also connect BITMA with Bangladesh’s ambition to reach USD 100 billion in exports. That figure remains a target, not a forecast or confirmed result.
BGMEA President, Mahmud Hasan Khan said in his speech, “Our main goal is to keep Bangladesh at the forefront of the revolution in artificial intelligence and green technology that is taking place in the global garment industry. This united effort of BTMA and BGMEA will help our industry produce high-value products and take Bangladesh’s image to new heights as a trusted hub for ethical and eco-friendly garment production.”
The ceremony expressed optimism that the signing of the two top leaders will open the door to new possibilities in the country’s economy through increased foreign investment in Bangladesh, direct technology transfer, and the creation of new commercial networks worldwide.
