The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has requested a Tk 14,000 crore soft loan from Bangladesh Bank to address a severe cash shortage ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr. The appeal was made during a meeting with Governor Ahsan H. Mansur, attended by deputy governors and BGMEA leaders. BGMEA Vice President Shihab Udduja Chowdhury said the funds are needed to cover two months of wages and bonuses for workers, and the governor responded positively to the proposal.

BGMEA cited multiple challenges, including political instability, labor unrest, the 2024 movement, election-related uncertainty, and tariff issues, which have led to seven consecutive months of negative export growth. The association also urged the release of pending export incentives worth about Tk 5,700 crore to improve cash flow. Bangladesh Bank data show that Tk 2,500 crore in incentives has been disbursed so far in fiscal year 2025–26.

BGMEA proposed that the loan be repayable over 12 months with a three-month grace period, a 7% interest rate, and expansion of the pre-shipment credit refinancing scheme to Tk 10,000 crore until 2030. The group warned that delays in payments could trigger unrest and urged swift government action to protect workers and sustain the industry.