With Bangladesh becoming a major source of denim products for international retailers, the second Bangladesh Denim Expo will kick off in Dhaka on May 11 to showcase the country's potential in the sector. 
Twenty-four local and international firms have already booked stalls for the two-day exhibition to be held at Radisson hotel, said Mostafiz Uddin, organiser of the show and managing director of Chittagong-based Denim Expert Ltd, a leading exporter of such products.
He organised the expo for the first time in November last year to popularise the country as one of the best sources of denim. Like last year, companies from Germany, the US, Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey, Japan, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Brazil and Thailand will join this year's show, he said.

Workers are seen at a denim factory in Chittagong. Photo: ANURUP KANTI DAS

"The first expo was a grand success as international retailers, local denim makers and exporters responded wonderfully," he said . “I hope Bangladesh will be the third largest denim exporter in the next five years. I have been receiving amazing responses from international retailers, as they are coming with increased volume of work orders thanks to low prices.”
Among the global players of the $60 billion denim market, Bangladesh's position is far behind China, the US, Mexico and Italy.