Embassy of the United States of America
Public Affairs Section
Tel: 880-2-55662000
Fax: 880-2-9881677, 9885688
E-mail: DhakaPA@state.gov
Website: https://bd.usembassy.gov
Third Cotton Day held in Dhaka
Dhaka- 16 July, 2018: COTTON USA held a Seminar and a dazzling Fashion Show in Dhaka to celebrate the third Cotton Day in Bangladesh.
Cotton Council International (CCI) introduced in 2016 the observance of Cotton Day to celebrate US Cotton as well as Bangladesh being the largest manufacturer and exporter of cotton apparel products.
Over one hundred spinning mills, garment manufacturers, cotton merchants and traders including agents attended the seminar, and a gala evening of reception, fashion show and dinner.
An eight member COTTON USA Executive Delegation consisting of Mr. Raymond Faus, President – American Cotton Shippers Association (ACSA), Mr. Tim North -ACSA, Mr. Carlos Garcia- AMCOT, Mr. John Lindamood, American Cotton Producers, Mr. Steve Wilbur, American Cotton Producers, Mr. Tim Barry, Vice President ICE Futures- ICE, Mr. Marc Lewkowitz, President, SUPIMA, Mr. William Bettendorf, Director- South Asia, Cotton Council International arrived Dhaka on Sunday to meet Bangladeshi spinning and garment industry and promote use of US Cotton and engage the industries to better understand US Cotton.
At the seminar the delegation made presentations on World Cotton Production, Supply & Demand, U.S. Cotton Fiber Quality and Sustainability and Delivery, the data and information in the presentations would enable mills to make logical business decision. ICE vice president presented Intercontinental Commodity Exchange (ICE) Futures- in the first ever ICE official visit to Bangladesh. ICE futures are closely followed by spinning mills all over the world for buying cotton.
As guest of honor at COTTON USA, U.S. Ambassador Marcia Bernicat spoke proudly of the strong Bangladesh-U.S. economic relationship. The Ambassador noted that the U.S. is the number one consumer of Bangladesh’s exports, especially from Bangladesh’s dynamic ready-made garment (RMG) sector. Ambassador Bernicat praised leading apparel and garment producers in Bangladesh for choosing top-quality U.S. cotton to produce products that are in demand throughout the world. U.S. cotton is helping to drive growth in the RMG sector in Bangladesh.
The Ambassador also applauded the willingness of the Government of Bangladesh to consider removing trade barriers that limit access for Bangladesh importers of U.S. cotton. Currently, U.S. cotton is the only cotton required by law to be fumigated for pests, a law enacted in 1966 to protect Pakistani cotton from competing with U.S. cotton. U.S. cotton exporters take measures at the port of departure to ensure the quality of U.S. cotton and to minimize the risk of pests. Thus, further fumigation is unnecessary. It drives up the cost of U.S. cotton in Bangladesh and creates significant delays of shipments to the mills.
In the fashion show, the country’s leading brands YELLOW and Amanat Shah as well as COTTON USA Licensee and Cotton LEADS partner mills- Envoy Textiles Ltd, Hamid Fabrics Ltd, and Square Group showcased a selection of Bangladeshi and western clothing. The electrifying show displayed 100 percent US cotton and cotton-made garments, highlighting Bangladesh’s rich cotton apparel heritage. The event took place at a local hotel in Dhaka.
