DHAKA, April 23, 2026 (BSS) - The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has called upon the Bangladesh Bank (BB) to strengthen policy support and extend the application deadlines under a key circular to help the industry navigate current multidimensional challenges.

In a meeting held on Wednesday at the central bank headquarters, a BGMEA delegation led by Director Majumdar Arifur Rahman met with Deputy Governor Dr. Md. Kabir Ahmed to discuss urgent interventions required for the Ready-Made Garment (RMG) sector, said a press release today.

One of the primary demands placed by the BGMEA was to extend the cutoff date for defaulted accounts eligible for policy support under BRPD Circular-07/2025. 

The association requested that the current deadline of November 2025 be moved to March 31, 2026. 

According to the BGMEA, this extension would allow a significant number of sick and troubled industrial units to qualify for support, enabling them to normalize business operations.

 The delegation highlighted that such a move would simultaneously reduce Non-Performing Loans (NPLs) within the banking sector and bolster overall financial stability.

The trade body expressed concern that many eligible garment factories are being deprived of benefits because commercial banks often fail to implement central bank policies in a timely and proper manner. 

The BGMEA urged the central bank to issue mandatory and effective instructions to commercial banks. 

They argued that ensuring compliance from commercial banks would help increase industrial production, return struggling units to profitability, and inject momentum back into the national economy.

The delegation also sought an extension of the timeframe for applying to reopen closed factories.

They emphasized that more time is needed for the accurate collection and verification of data regarding truly affected units.

A realistic and error-free list, they noted, is essential for implementing effective rehabilitation and revival programs.

Deputy Governor Dr. Md. Kabir Ahmed listened to the concerns raised by the RMG leaders and assured the delegation that the central bank would take necessary and effective steps to address these issues. 

The meeting was also attended by former BGMEA Vice President Shahidul Islam, Chairman of the Public Relations Committee Masud Kabir, and senior officials from the Banking Regulation and Policy Department of Bangladesh Bank.