Bangladeshi Leather Exhibition Highlights Expansion and Export Opportunities in the Country's Leather Industry
The 9th Bangladesh Leather & Footwear Expo, held at the International Convention City Bashundhara in the capital, showcases the growing capacity and export potential of Bangladesh in the leather industry. The three-day exhibition, open to visitors daily from 10am to 7pm, features leather products and exporters from 14 countries.
Over 130 local and international companies are participating in the expo, showcasing a wide variety of machinery used in the leather industry, such as skiving, stamping, printing, lamination, sewing, fusing, conveying, lasting, and finishing machines. The displayed items include leather products, leather shoes, sports shoes, backpacks, and various raw materials.
Industries Adviser Adilur Rahman Khan emphasized the necessity of modernizing the industrial park for the leather and footwear industry during the inaugural ceremony. Khan highlighted the strategic importance of the sector for sustainable economic development.
Key strategies for modernizing Bangladesh's leather and footwear industry to establish it globally focus on introducing high technology, increasing value addition, and achieving compliance with international standards.
Adopting high-tech manufacturing processes in leather goods and footwear production is crucial to boost value addition and compete effectively in global markets. Enhancing environmental sustainability and compliance, such as securing Leather Working Group (LWG) certification for tanneries, is important to maintain export competitiveness.
Developing modern infrastructure and logistical support, including upgraded customs and ports, will reduce inefficiencies and improve export capabilities. Removing barriers such as high input costs or restrictive incentives for raw materials also supports modernization efforts.
Expanding market diversification beyond traditional destinations to countries in Asia and emerging markets through active economic diplomacy and trade facilitation is another key strategy. Strengthening policy support and institutional backing to promote private-sector investment and facilitate technology transfer aligned with sustainability and labor standards demanded by export markets is also essential.
Together, these strategies aim to transform Bangladesh’s leather and footwear sector into a globally competitive, sustainable, and technologically advanced industry, aligning with international market requirements and enhancing export performance.
The 9th Bangladesh Leather & Footwear Expo is jointly organized by the Bangladesh Tanners Association, Leather Engineers and Technologists Society of Bangladesh, and Limra Exhibitions. The event continues to showcase the growing capacity and export potential of Bangladesh in the leather industry.
- To stimulate increased value addition and global competitiveness, key strategies involve adopting high-tech manufacturing processes in the fashion-and-beauty segment of the leather and footwear industry.
- Achieving environmental sustainability and international standards compliance, such as obtaining Leather Working Group (LWG) certification, is essential for maintaining a competitive edge in the food-and-drink sector of exported leather products.
- For long-term success, policymakers must focus on developing modern infrastructure, including home-and-garden infrastructures such as upgraded customs and ports, to ensure efficient export capabilities and cater to growing demands in the travel sector.
