Ahammad Parvej Khan
Experts have called for coordinated action to expand cotton cultivation in Bangladesh, highlighting its potential as a climate-adaptive and economically viable crop.
They noted that although Bangladesh is the world's second-largest exporter of ready-made garments, around 97 per cent of the cotton used by the country's textile industry is imported, costing the country more than USD 3 billion annually.
These observations were made at the National Dialogue on Cotton: Its Future Opportunities as a Climate Adaptive Crop, organised by BRAC's Climate and Environmental Innovation Programme (CEIP) at the BRAC Centre in Mohakhali, Dhaka, on Thursday.
The dialogue examined the structural barriers to expanding domestic cotton production and explored practical measures relating to policy, research, financing, agricultural extension services, market development, and post-harvest management.
Speaking at the event, Md. Rezaul Amin, Executive Director (Routine Duties) of the Cotton Development Board, said that cotton is a beneficial crop from multiple perspectives.
In addition to increasing farmers' incomes, cotton cultivation can contribute to climate change adaptation and generate employment opportunities across the value chain.
Dr. Md. Liakath Ali, Director of BRAC's Climate and Environmental Innovation Programme (CEIP) and Disaster Risk Management Programme (DRMP), said that cotton offers a promising alternative in areas where agricultural production has been affected by climate change.
Among those attending the event was Mitali Chakma, a cotton farmer from Manikchhari in Rangamati. She said, "I received seeds and training from the Cotton Development Board. I have been cultivating cotton for the past three years. There is considerable interest in cotton cultivation among farmers. With the necessary support, cotton cultivation can expand significantly across the Chattogram Hill Tracts."
The dialogue opened with remarks by Abu Sadat Moniruzzaman Khan, Programme Head, Climate and Environmental Innovation Programme (CEIP), BRAC.
