At a virtual conference, bureaucrats and industry stalwarts from India and Bangladesh pledged to strive for a 35 per cent share in the global textiles and clothing (T&C) market in the next five years. India currently exports textiles and clothes worth around $39 billion which are forecasted to cross $82 billion by 2021.Similarly, Bangladesh exported textiles and apparels worth $27.95 billion in FY20, compared to the previous fiscal year’s $34.13 billion. The country has adjusted its target for 2020-21 from $50 billion to $33.78 billion due to the present circumstances.

Both countries export $66.95 billion in textiles and clothing together and have to hit at least $350 billion over the next five years together. Rubana Huq, CEO, BGMEA, has urged both countries to ‘go rural, go green.’ While Dr A Sakthivel, Chairman, AEPC has proposed a shared exhibition of Indian and Bangladeshi companies where customers can work together and jointly gain a better valuation and more business.