Light Engineering Expo 2026: 3 days fair begins in Dhaka today

Business Report:

A three day Bangladesh Light Engineering Expo 2026 begins in the capital on Monday, aiming to make the country’s promising light engineering sector more competitive and export oriented.

Organisers said the expo would showcase domestic industrial capacity, reduce import dependence, and create new opportunities to access international markets.

Bangladesh Engineering Industry Owners Association (BEIOA) president Md Abdur Razzaque made the remarks at a press conference at the Dhaka Reporters Unity on Sunday.

He said the expo, supported by the Ministry of Commerce and the World Bank backed Export Competitiveness for Jobs (EC4J) project, will be held at the Shaheed Abu Sayeed International Convention Centre from February 2 to 4.

The exhibition will be open daily from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm, showcasing the latest technologies, components, and innovative products from the lighting engineering sector.

Commerce Secretary Mahbubur Rahman will attend the inaugural ceremony on February 2 as the chief guest.

Hosna Ferdous Sumi, Senior Private Sector Specialist at the World Bank, and Md. Abdur Rahim Khan, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce and Project Director of EC4J, will attend as special guests.

Senior government officials, representatives of the FBCCI, business chambers and associations, as well as local and foreign buyers, entrepreneurs and investors, are also expected to attend.

Highlighting the importance of the sector, Abdur Razzaque said the light engineering industry provides critical backward linkages to agriculture, textiles, construction, power, automobiles, and household appliances.

Currently, approximately 50,000 small and medium-sized light engineering enterprises operate across the country, employing more than 300,000 skilled workers. The sector contributes nearly 3 per cent to the national GDP.

He said nearly half of Bangladesh’s $8.2 billion domestic demand for engineering products is met locally through the production of more than 3,800 types of machinery, spare parts, tools, dies, moulds, and engineering accessories.

However, significant reliance on imported machinery and components still remains, indicating substantial potential for further expansion.