Business Report :
Bangladesh’s light engineering sector, often considered the silent backbone of the country’s industrial ecosystem, is poised for significant growth.
The sector is witnessing rapid expansion as demand for its products and services rises across various segments of the economy. In this context, the two-day Bangladesh Light Engineering Expo 2025, set to begin on Thursday (May 29) in Dhaka, aims to create new avenues for local manufacturers to connect with international markets and showcase the sector’s capabilities to the global community.
The event is being jointly organised by the Bangladesh Engineering Industry Owners Association (BEIOA) and the government’s Export Competitiveness for Jobs (EC4J) Project. The venue for the expo will be the Shahid Abu Sayeed International Convention Centre in the capital. Organisers shared the event details at a press conference held at the Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) Auditorium in Dhaka.
The organisers disclosed it at a press conference, held at the Economic Reporters Forum (ERF) Auditorium in the capital on Tuesday.
This national-level exposition will feature participation from 24 local exhibitors across 44 stalls, highlighting the diversity and innovation of Bangladesh’s light engineering sector. Exhibitors will present the latest in machinery, components, technologies, and engineering solutions, drawing attention to the industry’s growing sophistication and its potential to serve both domestic and international markets.
According to BEIOA President Abdur Razzaque, while the global engineering market is valued at over US$7 trillion, Bangladesh’s contribution remains nominal-currently less than US$1 billion. “Despite this small share, we have enormous potential to scale up our presence in the global market, provided we receive necessary and logical policy support,” he said. He pointed out that the sector remains largely informal, with many enterprises operating without adequate access to financing, policy incentives, or institutional recognition.
The light engineering sector in Bangladesh serves as a crucial support system for several major industries, including agriculture, textiles, construction, power generation, and household appliances. It supplies vital machinery parts, tools, and components to these sectors, significantly reducing dependence on imports and lowering production costs. BEIOA noted that light engineering currently meets around 50 per cent of the country’s domestic demand for machinery parts.
Furthermore, the industry also contributes to exports, particularly to niche markets in India’s northeastern states (commonly known as the “Seven Sisters”), Africa, Myanmar, and under special arrangements to Europe and Australia. Despite its export potential, most of the trade remains unstructured due to the lack of streamlined policies and international certifications.
Employment generation is another area where the light engineering sector plays a critical role. With over 50,000 enterprises operating across the country-ranging from small workshops to medium-scale manufacturers-the industry provides direct employment to more than 300,000 people and indirect employment to over 3 million individuals, many of whom are involved in the supply chain, retail, logistics, and service sectors. These numbers underline the sector’s pivotal role in supporting livelihoods and promoting inclusive industrialisation.
Bangladesh exports $7.95b light engineering industry products annually.
Moreover, the sector contributes approximately 3 per cent to Bangladesh’s GDP.
