Japanese business representatives have shown strong interest in importing high-value and fashionable garments from Bangladesh, acknowledging the country’s growing capacity to produce premium-quality apparel.

A delegation from the Japan Textile Importers Association (JTIA) expressed this interest during a meeting with the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) on Monday at the BGMEA Complex in Uttara, Dhaka, according to a press release issued by BGMEA.

During the discussion, BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan urged the Japanese delegation to expand garment sourcing from Bangladesh. In response, the JTIA representatives expressed enthusiasm for importing more high-end, fashion-oriented products from the country.

The JTIA delegation commended Bangladesh’s remarkable growth in the apparel industry and its adherence to social and environmental compliance standards. They also praised the industry’s ongoing efforts to ensure workers’ safety and welfare, noting that Japan now views Bangladesh as a reliable sourcing destination for high-value and fashionable garments.

The delegation included Toshina Kawai of MN Inter-Fashion Ltd., Issei Nozawa of Kowa Co. Ltd., Shingo Igami of Toyoshima & Co. Ltd., Norihiro Komiya of the Japan Textiles Importers Association, and Minami Kojiro of AIT Corporation.

During the meeting, BGMEA President Mahmud Hasan Khan formally requested that, through JTIA, the Japanese government consider continuing duty-free market access for Bangladesh even after its graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status in 2026. He proposed that such access could be ensured through a mutually beneficial framework such as an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) or a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA).

The BGMEA leadership also sought JTIA’s cooperation in simplifying visa procedures for Bangladeshi businesspeople visiting Japan. The Japanese delegation assured that they would discuss the matter with relevant authorities in the Japanese government soon.

Both organizations agreed to strengthen mutual collaboration and work together to further enhance Bangladesh’s garment exports to Japan, reaffirming their shared commitment to long-term partnership and growth in the textile trade sector.