Md. Nazim Hossain

Bangladesh’s RMG sector generates over 84% of the country’s export earnings, yet it operates almost entirely on a linear model: extract, produce, discard. This leads to significant environmental and operational challenges. Water pollution, energy inefficiency and accumulating textile waste are the most visible consequences but there’s also a subtler risk building beneath the surface which is that global buyers and regulators are increasingly demanding something different. The circular economy offers a credible alternative pathway, one that could strengthen supply chain resilience, reduce input dependency and bring Bangladesh’s industry into closer alignment with emerging sustainability requirements. However, CE adoption across the sector remains patchy and operationally shallow. This study examines the structural, technological, financial and regulatory barriers that constrain circular transition at the supply chain level and aims to identify and propose feasible transition pathways. Drawing on systematic literature synthesis, policy analysis and industry stakeholder insights, it proposes a phased transition roadmap suited to Bangladesh’s post-LDC graduation context. The findings suggest that, despite genuine obstacles, meaningful progress is possible through closed-loop material flows, waste valorization, green financing and stronger cross-tier supply chain collaboration.