Dewan Mashuq Uz Zaman
Hong Kong helped shape Bangladesh’s garment industry in its early years, while today the relationship is centred on knowledge-sharing and stronger market links. Looking ahead, this partnership could help Bangladesh move toward more advanced and sustainable production as trade conditions change.
Past
Hong Kong has been part of Bangladesh’s RMG (Readymade Garment) story since the industry began to take shape in the late 1970s and 1980s. Joint ventures from Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan helped establish the first generation of factories. This was part of a wider shift in Asian garment production. Manufacturing had already moved from Japan to the Asian Tigers, including Hong Kong, during the 1970s. As labour costs rose, production gradually moved to developing countries such as Bangladesh through the 1980s and 1990s.
By the mid-2000s, the two economies held different positions in the global apparel market. Bangladesh still ranked behind Hong Kong among the world’s leading apparel exporters. That position changed quickly as Bangladesh expanded its production and export capacity throughout the 2010s.
Hong Kong’s role also changed during this period. Its economy placed greater emphasis on services, sourcing and trade intermediation. By the early 2020s, Bangladesh had become one of the world’s largest apparel exporters. Hong Kong had become an important source of fabric, research, product development and sourcing services. The relationship was no longer based only on factory investment. It had moved toward knowledge, trade links and technical cooperation.
Present
Cooperation between Bangladesh and Hong Kong has increased over the past year. Recent work has focused on buyer access, research and environmental improvement.
Trade and Buyer Access
On 12 July 2026, the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association and HSBC signed a strategic partnership to support Bangladesh’s expansion into new export markets.
A Hong Kong Apparel Roadshow forms a central part of the agreement. It is intended to connect Bangladeshi garment exporters directly with global brands and major buyers. Hong Kong will serve as the first destination.
The plan also extends beyond one roadshow. BGMEA has indicated that it wants to arrange similar programmes in other global sourcing centres. These efforts are part of Bangladesh’s attempt to reach buyers outside its traditional export markets.
Hong Kong is well placed to support this process because of its long experience in sourcing and international trade. Its connections with brands and buyers can give Bangladeshi exporters more direct access to decision-makers in the global apparel industry.
Innovation and Research
Research cooperation has also become a larger part of the relationship. On 8 July 2026, the Consulate General of Bangladesh in Hong Kong organized a hybrid seminar at the Open Lab of the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel. More than 80 business owners, entrepreneurs and industry leaders joined from Bangladesh’s textile, apparel, leather and footwear sectors.
The seminar discussed how Bangladesh’s supply chain could connect with Hong Kong’s research and product-development capacity. Bangladesh’s Consul General called for closer cooperation among universities, research institutions and businesses.
Such cooperation could help Bangladeshi companies develop products more quickly. It could also support their move into forms of manufacturing that earn more value. Hong Kong’s experience in research and production methods gives it an important role in that process.
Sustainability
Environmental cooperation offers another area for joint work.
Industry advocates have proposed partnerships between business associations from both sides. They have also suggested joint university research and mentorship programmes involving Hong Kong and Bangladeshi professionals.
The Green Machine developed by the Hong Kong Research Institute of Textiles and Apparel is one example of the technology available. It can separate cotton and polyester from blended fabrics and recover polyester at a high level of purity. HKRITA is currently working with Jeanologia and Looptworks to expand the technology for industrial use.
This technology is relevant to Bangladesh because the country produces a large amount of textile waste. Its domestic recycling capacity remains limited. Cooperation with Hong Kong could help Bangladesh test recycling systems that are already supported by research and industrial partnerships.
Future
Circular Economy Technology
Technology transfer may become one of the clearest areas of future cooperation.
Bangladeshi mills could gain access to HKRITA’s recycling technology through licensing agreements or joint pilot projects. This would allow manufacturers to test the system within Bangladesh’s garment industry before using it more widely.
The need is clear. Bangladesh produces large quantities of textile waste but cannot process much of it domestically. Better access to recycling technology could help the industry recover material that would otherwise remain unused.
Higher-Value Manufacturing
Bangladesh’s garment exports remain concentrated in basic products such as T-shirts, denim and sweaters. The sector has made limited progress in fast fashion and high fashion.
Hong Kong’s present strength lies in research, product development and production methods. These areas can support Bangladesh’s move into more advanced and higher-priced products. Hong Kong does not need to repeat its earlier role as a manufacturing base. Its knowledge and technical capacity are now more valuable to Bangladesh’s next stage of industrial growth.
Trade Diversification Before LDC Graduation
Bangladesh was originally scheduled to graduate from Least Developed Country status on 24 November 2026.
In June 2026, the United Nations Committee for Development Policy recommended delaying the graduation by three years, to 24 November 2029. The final decision is expected at the United Nations General Assembly in September 2026.
The possible delay gives Bangladesh more time to prepare, but export diversification remains important. Graduation will affect trade preferences and forms of policy support available to exporters. Roadshows and direct meetings with buyers can help Bangladesh develop new markets before those changes take effect.
University and Research Partnerships
Direct partnerships between universities could deepen the relationship further.
Hong Kong universities and HKRITA could work with textile engineering departments in Bangladesh. The cooperation could include research projects, academic exchanges and industry-linked studies.
This would create stronger connections among students, researchers and manufacturers. It would also allow technical cooperation to continue beyond individual roadshows or agreements between trade bodies.
A Partnership in a New Form
Bilateral trade between Bangladesh and Hong Kong remains modest compared with the size of their garment industries. It is also weighted toward Hong Kong as the exporter.
Trade figures, however, do not capture the full relationship. Recent cooperation has developed through roadshows and research discussions. Agreements between institutions have added another layer.
Hong Kong helped Bangladesh during the early years of its garment industry. Today, it can contribute through sourcing links, research and technical knowledge. The form of the partnership has changed, but its importance remains.
