SANGSAD BHABAN, June 8, 2026 (BSS) - Minister for Commerce Khandakar Abdul Muktadir today informed Parliament that Bangladesh exported goods to 202 countries in the 2024–25 fiscal year.

In response to a written question from BNP Member of Parliament Md Mostafizur Rahman Babul (Jamalpur-3) during the day’s question-answer session, the Minister outlined a wide range of initiatives undertaken by the Ministry to expand export markets and reduce dependency on a single sector.

He noted that around 84 percent of export earnings come from the ready-made garment (RMG) sector, and the government is taking steps to reduce this over-reliance by extending similar policy support to other promising sectors, including leather and leather goods, jute and jute products, agricultural products, pharmaceuticals, ICT and software services, light engineering products, frozen foods/fish, and plastic products. 

“Partial exporters in these sectors have been granted bond facilities against bank guarantees following official directives from the National Board of Revenue (NBR),” he said.

To promote regional export growth and product diversification, the government is implementing the “One District One Product (ODOP)” programme, inspired by Japan’s “One Village One Product” model. Under this initiative, 14 products have already been identified from 64 districts.

The Minister also cautioned that Bangladesh’s upcoming graduation from Least Developed Country (LDC) status may result in the loss of preferential market access, potentially affecting exports worth $17.5 billion.
 
To address this challenge, the government has already signed an Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) with Japan, while negotiations are ongoing for a CEPA with South Korea. Discussions are also underway with the European Union, RCEP countries, UAE, Singapore, Indonesia, China and other potential markets for EPA/CEPA/FTA agreements.

A new Export Policy 2024–2027 has been formulated to ensure sustainable export growth and strengthen Bangladesh’s position in global trade, he said.

For market diversification beyond traditional destinations such as the United States and Europe, the Minister said Bangladesh is actively participating in international trade fairs in Brazil, the Middle East, Japan, Canada, Australia, CIS countries and various African nations.

In addition, government and private sector joint trade missions are being sent to Latin America, Africa and CIS countries to expand trade opportunities. “Efforts are also ongoing to secure duty-free access for Bangladeshi products in South American, African and CIS markets,” he said.

Bilateral trade agreements are being pursued to eliminate tariff and non-tariff barriers, while incentives for exporters are being maintained through CIP status and Export Trophy awards.

Muktadir said the government continues to organize training, seminars and workshops to enhance exporters’ skills, particularly in product diversification and market expansion strategies.

Financial support is also being provided through the Export Development Fund (EDF) for raw material imports, while Bangladesh Bank has created a Taka 5,000 crore Pre-shipment Loan Fund offering low-interest financing for export-oriented industries.

He said strengthening economic diplomacy through Bangladesh missions abroad has been emphasized, with commercial wings actively working on export promotion and branding of Bangladeshi products.

To promote diversification, competitiveness, women’s empowerment, and employment generation, the government has declared “Paper and Packaging Products” as Export Product of the Year 2026.

Muktadir said annual events such as the Dhaka International Trade Fair continue to be held to improve product diversity and quality. 

In addition, the Export Promotion Bureau (EPB) organised a “Global Sourcing Expo” in FY 2025–26, marking a new milestone in export promotion. During the same period, EPB included 46 international trade fairs in its calendar and successfully organized 8 seminars as side events of the Dhaka International Trade Fair.

The Minister further stated that Bangladesh is also strengthening its participation in global value chains and pursuing export-led investment strategies through FTA/EPA/CEPA initiatives.

In the context of LDC graduation and WTO compliance, the government is also working on introducing alternative mechanisms to replace cash incentives in line with international best practices.

Muktadir said efforts are underway to deepen bilateral economic partnerships with countries including South Korea, Singapore, China, India, Indonesia, Nepal, the UAE, Malaysia and Sri Lanka, aiming for smooth and sustainable transition from LDC status.

Furthermore, feasibility studies are being conducted for potential trade agreements with GCC countries, MERCOSUR nations, Russia, Eastern Europe, East Asia and African countries.

The Minister added that feasibility studies for FTAs with Vietnam, Hong Kong, Turkey and Nigeria will be submitted for government approval in due course.