DHAKA — Bangladesh's garment exports have crossed $40 billion, powered by an unlikely superpower: green. The country now hosts 220 LEED-certified green factories — including 9 of the world's top 10 — turning the 'sweatshop' stereotype on its head.
At Fakir Fashion in Narayanganj, the world's highest-rated green factory, solar panels shade the roof, rainwater flushes toilets, and workers lunch under mango trees. 'Buyers pay us a premium because our carbon per shirt is half of Vietnam's,' the managing director said.
The milestone matters beyond dollars. Each green factory uses 40% less water and 30% less energy — critical as EU carbon border taxes loom. BGMEA targets 500 green factories by 2028, backed by a Tk 2,000-crore low-cost fund.
'My mother stitched in a tin shed. I stitch in a garden factory with childcare,' said operator Shahnaz Parvin, 26. 'This is what progress feels like.'
— Daily Best News Desk • Fearless in the search for truth
Reported by Trade Correspondent • Edited by the Daily Best News desk. Send corrections to [email protected].
