ITMA ASIA + CITME 2026 Road Shows Connect Bangladesh Textile Industry with Chinese Machinery Sector

Narayanganj and Dhaka programmes bring around 185 industry participants together ahead of the November textile machinery exhibition in Shanghai

The Bangladesh textile industry saw strong participation in road shows promoting ITMA ASIA + CITME 2026, with programmes held in Narayanganj on September 1 and Dhaka on September 2. The two events brought together approximately 185 participants, including textile and apparel industry leaders, business representatives, professionals and other stakeholders, along with a four-member Chinese delegation.

The road shows were organised ahead of ITMA ASIA + CITME 2026, scheduled from November 20–24, 2026, at the National Exhibition and Convention Center (Shanghai), China. The exhibition is jointly owned by CEMATEX, CCPIT TEX, the China Textile Machinery Association (CTMA) and China International Exhibition Center Group (CIEC).

Narayanganj Road Show Highlights Industry Cooperation

The first programme was held on September 1 at the Narayanganj Club, with approximately 85 participants. The attendees included Directors from BKMEA, the Vice President and Director of NCCI, Chinese delegates and other speakers.

Following guest arrival, registration and networking, participants viewed an ITMA ASIA + CITME road show event video. The formal programme then began with an opening and prayer session.

Shawkat Iqbal, Editor-in-Chief of Bangladesh Textile Journal, delivered the welcome speech.

The Bangladesh industry perspective was presented by Ratan Kumar Saha, Director, Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), and Managing Director of P.M. Knittex Pvt. Ltd. His participation brought the perspective of the knitwear and apparel manufacturing sector into discussions around technology and industrial development.

Representing the Chinese textile machinery sector, Liu Ge, Director, China Textile Machinery Association (CTMA), spoke about developments in China's textile machinery industry and opportunities for closer industrial cooperation.

A presentation on ITMA ASIA + CITME 2026 was delivered by Liu Dan, Business Supervisor, China Textile Machinery Association (CTMA), covering the exhibition and its significance for the Asian textile industry.

The programme also included discussions on Bangladesh–China business relations. Md. Abu Jafar, Vice President of the Narayanganj Chamber of Commerce and Industry, addressed industry cooperation between the two countries, while Zakaria Wahid, Director, Narayanganj Chamber of Commerce and Industry, shared business remarks.

An open question-and-answer session provided participants with an opportunity to interact with members of the Chinese delegation and Bangladeshi industry representatives. The formal programme concluded with a group photograph, followed by networking and dinner.

Dhaka Road Show Attracts Around 100 Participants

The second road show was held on September 2 at Magnolia Hall, Lakeshore Heights, Gulshan-1, Dhaka, attracting approximately 100 participants from Bangladesh’s textile and apparel industry.

The Dhaka programme covered Bangladesh’s textile industry, Bangladesh–China business relations, Chinese textile machinery developments, technology requirements and the significance of ITMA ASIA + CITME 2026.

Following guest arrival and networking, the programme began with a formal opening and prayer session. Shawkat Iqbal, Editor-in-Chief, Bangladesh Textile Journal, delivered the welcome speech.

An industry perspective was presented by Mohd Khorshed Alam, Director, Bangladesh Textile Mills Association (BTMA) and President, BCCCI, focusing on Bangladesh’s textile industry and Bangladesh–China business relations.

Liu Ge, Director, CTMA, represented the Chinese textile machinery industry and discussed its current development.

The technology requirements of Bangladesh’s textile machinery sector were addressed by Abdullah Al Mamun, Spokesperson, BTMA. Tang Rong, Director, BJITME, presented an introduction to ITMA ASIA + CITME 2026 and discussed the exhibition’s relevance to the Asian textile industry.

Mohammad Abdullah Zaber, Managing Director, Noman Group and Editor, Bangladesh Textile Journal, was also present and presented crests among the speakers and ITMA ASIA + CITME delegates. ITMA ASIA + CITME delegates also handed over gifts to the local guest speakers.

The Dhaka programme concluded with an interactive Q&A session involving the speakers and Chinese delegation, followed by an official group photograph, prayer break and networking over coffee and snacks.

Focus on Technology and Manufacturing Competitiveness

Technological advancement was a common focus across both road shows. The programmes provided Bangladeshi manufacturers and textile professionals with opportunities to learn about developments in textile machinery and discuss future technology requirements.

The discussions addressed areas relevant to textile manufacturers, including productivity, automation, energy efficiency, quality, sustainability and production competitiveness.

ITMA ASIA + CITME 2026 is expected to showcase technologies across the textile manufacturing value chain, including spinning, man-made fibres, weaving, knitting, printing, dyeing and finishing, nonwovens, embroidery, garment manufacturing, recycling, testing and packaging.

The 2026 edition will also focus on intelligent and sustainable manufacturing, with new areas covering textile-reinforced composites, textile recycling, digital platforms, production-process automation and other emerging technologies.

Strengthening Bangladesh–China Industry Engagement

The participation of the Chinese delegation added an international dimension to the road shows, allowing Chinese textile machinery representatives and Bangladeshi manufacturers to discuss machinery, technology, industrial requirements and potential business cooperation.

China remains an important source of textile machinery and technology for Bangladesh’s textile sector, making direct engagement between the two industry communities relevant to discussions around future manufacturing requirements.

The road shows also combined exhibition promotion with industry dialogue and business networking, providing potential visitors with information about the technologies expected at ITMA ASIA + CITME 2026 and their relevance to textile manufacturing operations.

Shanghai Exhibition to Cover 180,000 Square Metres

ITMA ASIA + CITME 2026 will occupy seven exhibition halls in Shanghai, covering approximately 180,000 square metres. This represents a 10% increase in exhibition area compared with the previous edition.

The exhibition will focus on intelligent and sustainable manufacturing and will feature machinery and technology covering the textile manufacturing chain. New technology segments will include automation, digitalisation, textile recycling and textile-reinforced composites.

A dedicated research and innovation area will also present developments involving Chinese universities and industry–academia–research collaboration.

Road Shows Build Momentum Ahead of ITMA ASIA + CITME 2026

The Narayanganj and Dhaka programmes provided platforms for connecting Bangladesh’s textile industry with the international textile machinery community ahead of the Shanghai exhibition.

With approximately 85 participants in Narayanganj and 100 in Dhaka, the two programmes attracted around 185 participants in total, including industry leaders, textile professionals, speakers and volunteers.

The participation of the Chinese delegation, BTMA and BKMEA representatives, chamber leaders and senior textile industry figures added to the business-to-business focus of the programmes.

The road shows highlighted the role of modern machinery, intelligent manufacturing, sustainable technologies and international industrial partnerships in Bangladesh’s textile manufacturing sector as the industry prepares for ITMA ASIA + CITME 2026 in Shanghai from November 20–24, 2026.