Moin Mahmood : Like the rest of the world, Bangladesh is observing `World Cotton Day 2026` today (October 7) with due importance and dignity. The primary objective of this day is to highlight the immense significance of cotton to the general public—specifically regarding the global economy, employment, and poverty alleviation in developing nations. The international theme for World Cotton Day 2026 is "Cotton for Good: Building Prosperity Through Trade, Transformation, and Partnership."

World Cotton Day originated in 2019. Four major cotton-producing African nations—Benin, Burkina Faso, Chad, and Mali (collectively known in international trade circles as the `Cotton-4` or C-4 countries)—formally proposed the declaration of a special day to the World Trade Organization (WTO) to underscore the global importance of cotton. Based on this proposal, the first World Cotton Day was celebrated on October 7, 2019, at the WTO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland. Subsequently, recognizing the multifaceted economic and social contributions of cotton, the United Nations General Assembly made the historic decision in August 2021 to permanently include October 7 as `World Cotton Day` in its international calendar.
As one of the world`s leading cotton importers and the second-largest exporter of ready-made garments, Bangladesh has undertaken extensive government and private-sector programs to mark the occasion. The Cotton Development Board has organized special seminars and technical meetings to highlight the significance of the day and the future of the country`s textile industry. Agriculture Minister Mohammad Amin Ur Rashid will attend as the chief guest, while Agriculture Secretary Selim Khan will preside over the event. Agricultural scientists, representatives from spinning mills, researchers, and high-ranking government officials will participate in the seminar.