CHAPTER-1

1.1 INTRODUCTION
The textile sector played a very important role in many developed /developing countries. In Bangladesh this sector has also contributed as well as still contributing towards the development of the socio-economic condition of the general masses. Textile industry has made substantial progress and has continued to contribute to the national economy, both by reducing imports and increasing exports.

The existing scenario of the textiles sector is presented below: • Textile sector contributes around 38% of the industrial value addition and earns about 75% of the total export earni9ngs of the country. • Around 4.5 million workforces are engaged in the textiles sector of which 50% are poor women. • In the 1990’s value addition in the RMG (ready made garments) was 20% which by now stands at around 45%. • Around 25% of the total demand of the woven fabrics for the export oriented RMG is supplied by the local weaving mills & the 40% of the fabrics requirements of the cotton woven RMG exports are met by local mills. • 90% of the domestic fabrics and yarn requirements are met by our primary textiles sector (PTS). [SOURCE: Page: 21, annual report 2005, BTMA].

The primary textile sector (PTS) is meeting the major demand of yarn & fabrics of the local markets. In addition to that a significant part of the demand of fabrics of export oriented RMG units is being met by the PTS. With gradual increase in population and expansion of trade, the demand of fabrics in the domestic markets and in the export oriented RMG unites is increasing very fast. In the year 2003-’04 the demand for fabrics in the domestic and export oriented RMG unites was 5188 million meters. Against the demand of the fabrics in the year 2006; 2750 million meters of the fabrics are being domestically produced. Therefore, the demand-supply gap of fabrics stood