DHAKA, July 18, 2026 (BSS) - Bangladesh's 'Halal Economy' has the potential 
to emerge as a new avenue for export diversification and strengthen the 
country's position in the global market, speakers said at a workshop here 
today.

They said Bangladesh could significantly increase its halal exports through 
the establishment of a single halal authority, internationally recognised 
certification and testing systems, and coordinated policy initiatives.

The observations came at a workshop titled "Halal Export Diversification", 
organised by the Bangladesh Chamber of Industries (BCI) in the capital.

BCI President Anwar-ul Alam Chowdhury (Parvez) chaired the event while Export 
Promotion Bureau (EPB) Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (Additional 
Secretary) Mohammad Hasan Arif attended it as the chief guest, said a press 
release.

The keynote paper was presented by Dr Md Mominul Islam, associate professor 
at the IUBAT Business School. Designated discussants included former 
Bangladesh-Malaysia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BMCCI) President 
Shabbir A. Khan and Dhaka University Economics Department Prof Dr Md Deen 
Islam.

Speaking as the chief guest, Mohammad Hasan Arif said export diversification 
is one of the country's most important priorities at present.

He said the global halal economy encompasses a wide range of products and 
services beyond agricultural and food items, offering Bangladesh significant 
opportunities to expand its export basket.

The EPB, he said, is ready to provide all necessary support to exporters to 
tap into the growing halal market.

Anwar-ul Alam Chowdhury said Bangladesh must place equal emphasis on 
developing domestic industries and diversifying exports as the country 
prepares for graduation from the Least Developed Country (LDC) category.

He noted that ready-made garments (RMG) currently account for about 82 
percent of Bangladesh's total exports, generating around US$38.28 billion in 
export earnings while halal product exports stand at only US$850 million, 
despite the sector's enormous potential.

Referring to global market trends, he said the halal market was estimated at 
US$3.3 trillion in 2025 and is projected to grow to US$9.45 trillion by 2034.

He added that demand for halal products is increasing not only among nearly 
two billion Muslims but also among consumers of other faiths because of their 
emphasis on health, quality, ethics and safety.

According to him, only about 20 percent of the potential global demand for 
halal products is currently being met, leaving vast opportunities for 
expansion.

He stressed that Bangladesh should establish itself internationally as a 
trusted "Halal Brand" by leveraging its Muslim-majority status.

Among others, former FBCCI President Mir Nasir Hossain, Bangladesh 
Accreditation Board Director General Md Aminul Islam, Association of Testing 
Laboratories Bangladesh President Md Ahsan Habib, BCI Director Zia Haider 
Mithu, Bengal Meat Head of Export AKM Sayadul Haque, former Bangladesh 
Competition Commission Director Md Khaled Abu Naser, Bangla Chemical Chief 
Executive MS Siddiqui and representatives from various public and private 
organisations attended the workshop.

The workshop also put forward several recommendations to boost halal exports, 
including branding Bangladesh as an international halal hub, establishing a 
unified halal authority, ensuring Shariah compliance, health standards and 
ethical benchmarks throughout the production and supply chain, setting up 
internationally accredited testing laboratories, drawing on the experiences 
of countries such as Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand, strengthening research 
and development, and developing the skilled workforce and infrastructure 
required for a robust halal ecosystem.