The global situation, as far as availability of cotton is concerned, has to be taken into consideration. The cotton importing countries might face a crunch if the producing countries do not have a surplus after meeting their own demands. This is a possibility that we cannot lose sight of as a country with established markets for RMG products.

Most importantly, we have great potential for producing high-yield varieties of good quality cotton. At the moment, the locally produced fibre can only meet one-twentieth of our requirement. That's indeed a sordid example of the premier foreign exchange earning sector not getting adequate support in terms of basic raw material supply. Its enhanced production, experts say, can make Bangladesh a top competitor in the global RMG market.

Basically, we are not making the best use of advanced technology to boost cotton production, as our vision is still blurred by the age-old notion that the soil and climatic conditions in Bangladesh are not suitable for cotton cultivation. How else could one explain the lack of any worthwhile initiative on the part of the government to boost its production? The government hasn't created adequate research facilities, nor is it giving subsidy to the farmers, which is required at the initial stages to stimulate farming.

The key to success in any sector lies in maximising production through making the most out of the available resources and, more importantly, by creating new facilities or enhancing the existing ones. The planners and decision-makers are expected to attach due importance to cotton farming in view of the challenges faced by the RMG sector in the post-MFA regime.