Foreign buyers are increasingly sourcing Bangladesh-made terry towel products because of cheap labour, utility cost and duty-free access to the EU, among others. Experts say, this has helped the industry flourish over the last three decades. The industry though, could not flourish well mainly because of the absence of government policy support, they added. The industry has seen a total of Tk 55 billion investments during the period.

If gas supply, lower bank interest rates and incentives are ensured to retain its competitiveness, the country can earn $10 to $12 billion from export of home textile and terry towel products within a couple of years, feel industry experts. More than 100 units established in the last three decades produce both home textile and terry towel products. As per Bangladesh Terry Towel and Linen Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BTTLMEA), out of these about 71 are terry towel producing units that have 6,500 looms and production capacity of 135 million kilograms.

The country produces various types of towels like towel, bar mop, hand towel, bath towel, dish, glass, kitchen, shop towel, kitchen gloves, dish clothes, surgical towel and draw sheet. Khandkar Abdul Muktadir, Chairman, BTTLMEA said that these products are a must for household use, tourism and hospitality industries.

He added buyers are looking for an alternative to China where the production cost has increased significantly mainly due to higher labour cost. Thus, the sub-sector of the home textile industry has a huge potential. Besides, global tourism and hospitality industries are growing, and so, the demand for such products is also on the rise, Muktadir stated.