The country-wide blockade and has badly affected production at most textile units in Bangladesh following supply disruption of raw cotton. In absence of adequate transport facilities a significant quantity of the raw material is stuck up at Chittagong Port from where imported cotton is transported to textile production units. The overall production in textile sector declined by around 20 to 25 per cent over the last one month due to the short supply of raw cotton, sources say.

Textile manufacturers have imported around 4.30 million bales of cotton in 2014 from countries including US, India, Pakistan, Australia, Uzbekistan etc, informed the Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA). The volume of imported cotton was 4.0 million and 3.5 million in 2013 and 2012 respectively. Textile millers have been importing on an average 0.35 million bales of cotton every month to meet local demand, the BTMA data reveals.

BTMA statistics showed more than 1,409 textile units across the country have been facing 25 per cent shortage of raw cotton. Local spinners can supply 95 per cent of yarn for the knitwear sub-sector and nearly 40 per cent of fabric for the woven sub-sector. Raw cotton imported by them is now waiting at the port due to transportation problem, informed a source.