CottonConnect and Bangladesh’s Cotton Development Board Forge Strategic Partnership to Raise Cotton Standards and Champion Sustainability
XX MONTH 2025, Bangladesh – CottonConnect has announced a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Bangladesh’s Cotton Development Board (CDB). The new partnership aims to enhance the quality, sustainability, marketability, and traceability of Bangladeshi cotton, while also integrating these improvements into the country’s globally renowned clothing and textile manufacturing industry.
CottonConnect is a pioneering organisation working to transform cotton supply chains to be more sustainable, transparent, and equitable. Established in 1972, the CDB is a government agency, which aims to promote and expand cotton cultivation in Bangladesh.
Demands from the textile manufacturing sector have led Bangladesh, a largely agricultural-based country, to seek new initiatives to increase its size of cotton production. With approximately 60,000 farmers already growing cotton across 39 districts1, the partnership brings together CottonConnect’s global expertise in sustainable cotton supply chains and CDB’s deep-rooted commitment to cotton research and development.
Together, the organisations will look to support farms and build a more sustainable supply chain through sharing technological knowledge, exchanging expertise and providing professional training on implementing traceability systems.
Key objectives of the partnership include:
- Improve cotton value supply chain: Creating platforms and opportunities for farmers to connect directly with brands and consumers.
- Enhance cotton sustainability: Implementing regenerative approaches to promote a healthier cotton ecology.
- Improving worker conditions: Empowering farmers with better working conditions, an adequate income, and the expertise to adapt to sustainable techniques.
- Improve cotton fibre quality: Empowering farmers with knowledge, technology, and rewards for cotton fibre quality improvement through sustainable practices.
- Build a traceable cotton supply chain: Implementing robust data collection systems from farm to final product.
- Cotton market development: Expanding cotton’s use beyond traditional garments by investigating uses in high-value medical textiles, technological fabrics bio-composite materials, and blending products with other natural fibres.
- Create climate-resilient farming systems and improving agro-ecosystem management: Identifying how climate change affects cotton production and developing long-term adaptation strategies.
Alison Ward, CEO of CottonConnect said: “This collaboration is a major step forward in aligning Bangladesh’s cotton sector with global sustainability and quality benchmarks. By integrating cotton improvements with the country’s powerful garment industry, we are creating a future where Bangladeshi cotton is not only competitive but also ethically and environmentally sound.”
Md. Rezaul Amin, Executive Director of Cotton Development Board said: “This Memorandum of Understanding establishes a cooperative framework aimed at boosting cotton research, promoting sustainable farming practices, enhancing fibre quality, and creating a transparent, traceable supply chain. By focusing on farmer empowerment, climate resilience, technological innovation, and market diversification, the MoU promises to benefit both producers and consumers while contributing to environmental stewardship. Its emphasis on knowledge exchange, capacity building, and joint projects positions it as a catalyst for long-term growth, improved farmer livelihoods, and stronger global market presence for Bangladeshi cotton.”
ENDS
About Cotton Development Board
Cotton Development Board (CDB) is a government organisation, under the Ministry of Agriculture, responsible for the research and development of cotton in Bangladesh, headquartered in Dhaka. The CDB was established in 1972 and cotton cultivation was started in the country on experimental basis in the year 1974-75 by introducing G. hirsutum cotton variety. CDB is mandated to promote cotton cultivation through research, extension activities i.e. establishment of demonstration, on-farm research and participatory research plots, conduct training for farmers and extension workers, organise cotton farmers group/associations etc., quality seed production, processing and distribution, and facilitate cotton marketing, ginning and supply chain to ensure fair prices to the farmers along with initiatives to improve quality of cotton fibre and also facilitate cotton by-product based industries in the country. CDB is also mandated to build relationship between national and international organizations for the development of the cotton sector in Bangladesh. Cotton research is conducted in 5 research centres/farms, including 3 sub-stations, located in different places in the country and extension activities are conducted through 4 regional, 13 zonal and 185 unit offices in 39 districts in Bangladesh.
About CottonConnect
CottonConnect is a pioneering social enterprise that is reimagining the future for supply chains. With headquarters in London and on-the-ground teams around the world, we help improve the sustainability of global textile supply chains, enabling producers and raw material farmers to work more responsibly and enjoy better livelihoods. Our work helps brands to access more sustainable cotton and other natural fibres, creating a more transparent and resilient supply chain that will continue to deliver the best cotton, now and in the future. At CottonConnect, we believe in helping brands, suppliers and farmers develop and maintain partnerships that are truly transformational.
For more information, please visit www.cottonconnect.org.